Physical Education

Submitted by Justine:

Jeremy offered to take me out to lunch.  At the very beginning of the date, he told me that he was planning to pay for everything.  I thanked him.

When the waitress came by, he told her first and foremost that she hand him the check and not me as he (again) was "paying for everything."  She agreed to do as he said.  He smiled at me.  It was a little strange.  He had already made it clear that he was going to pay for lunch.  Now it seemed like he was doing me a favor.

As I looked over the menu, a third time he said, "Anything you want.  It's all on me."

"Okay.  Got it!" I said this time.  He smiled.  It was a weird smile, like he thought I was four years old.

During the meal, as we talked, he'd reach across the table to touch me, but not conversationally.  What I mean is, he'd go out of his way to do it.  It was obvious and made me more and more uncomfortable.  I even leaned back in my seat once and he tried to reach for me, but couldn't.  He then asked me if I'd lean in closer!  Aaah!

After lunch, we took a walk around the block.  He walked a little too close to me for comfort, and I edged away as subtly as I could.

Finally, he stopped walking and faced me.  "What's your problem?" he asked.

"What?" I asked back.

"It's like you don't even want to be around me!  Every time I try getting close to you.  I'm sick of it!  Either you want to be near me or you don't.  Which will it be?"

I said, "Can you calm down?  This is a first date, and I want to take things slow."

He shook his head and smiled.  "You can start by standing next to me," he said, then grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to him.

That was enough.  I slapped him, open palm, full in the face.  You don't grab someone and tell them what to do.  He let me go and I stormed away.  I'm sure he saw me shaking, but I didn't care.  Where did this guy come off, trying to touch me at every opportunity?

I Googled him just last week.  You guessed it.  He's married.