Day 287: Don't date the guy at your coffee shop

Don't date the guy you met at your neighborhood coffee shop.

I should have learned this lesson 7 years ago, but I guess my short term memory is failing me.

I feel so restricted sometimes not being able to go to my regular Starbucks because I'm afraid I'll run into the guy I just blew off.

Sure, its not like I don't pass 7 coffee shops on my way to work, but the one where I met Starbucks is my favorite.

It's easy to get in and out of, they know me, when I don't come in for a while they notice. It's great! Except when I can't go in.

As I mentioned about 7 years ago I was in the same predicament. I was super excited when a cute guy picked up on me at my local coffee shop (a different one).

We went out on a date and he proceeded to tell me he was going through a divorce... ok... no problem there... and he had 4 kids! Houston... we have a problem.

At the time I was 32 years old, and some of his kids were teenagers. That was enough to put me over the edge. I don't think I could be the mother to a teenager NOW let alone 7 years ago.

I told him straight up the kids were a problem with me. His response 'it's not like I'm proposing!' Wow, well yes that's true, but in my head if it wasn't going in that direction why would I bother?

I'm pretty sure I avoided that coffee shop for quite a while. Unfortunately that wasn't enough. There is one road everyone from my part of town takes to get to the heart of the city to avoid the freeways. Well, surprise! Little did I know it at the time, but he took the same road. Welcome to my life...

One day I was crusing to work thinking of the day that was ahead of me, listening to talk radio to gather story ideas for the news that day when I heard honking.

I looked around trying to figure out if I spaced out and hit someone, or left my purse on top of my car, and low and behold driving next to me was the guy from the coffee shop.... in a mini-van!

After that I think I saw him a few more times and each time he would honk. Eventually I guess the novelty must have worn off, that, or he could see my 'stink eye' glaring at him through my sunglasses, because that was the last I remember seeing him.

Hmmmm.... come to think of it... maybe that's where my irritation with the mini-van comes from??

I hope my dating isn't happening in cycles, because that could really stink... like most women, I've kissed quite a few frogs.

But then again... looking at the glass half full... not too long after the crazy divorced dad experience I did meet Mr. Wonderful, so maybe there is hope after all!

You know what they say... 'without hope you have nothing'.