My Inner Child Has the Day Off

Submitted by Kimberly:

Ed invited me out to a picnic by a river. It was a good idea, and I went for it.

He spread out a blanket and we ate. It really was a beautiful day. Somehow or other we got onto the topic of childhood. He'd say things like, "Sometimes I just want to jump in a big pile of leaves," or "Sometimes I just want to draw on the walls." I thought it charming.

It went in a different direction when he asked, "Do you want to do something fun and spontaneous and childlike right now?"

I said, "Sure," wondering what he had in mind.

He said, "Let's go skinny dipping!" and proceeded to remove all of his clothes.

I thought that this was a bad idea, you know, the whole naked-on-a-first-date-in-the-middle-of-a-river-with-a-guy-I-had-just-met thing.

I suggested, "Maybe we could do something else, like go run in a field or play in a toy store."

But he was already in the required skinny-dipping outfit and held out his hand to me, as if to pull me to join him. I told him, "I'm not doing that with you on a first date. I'm sorry."

He seemed a little sad by this and put his clothes back on. We made very awkward small talk as we packed up the picnic and we both drove home, having arrived in separate cars.