Worst Date Ever

My cousin Carrie asked me to complete this tag about "The Worst Date Ever." I had to laugh, because until I met Matt 9 years ago, I had a string of really REALLY bad dates. Since I couldn't decide on just one worst experience, I thought I'd share a few and let you be the judge.

1.) I switched High Schools in my Junior year. I was invited back to a dance at my former high school. I really had no great affection for the guy who asked me, but I knew he had been following me around since 7th grade, and I kind of pitied the poor guy, who I had repeatedly rolled my eyes at. (He asked me like 6 weeks before the dance.) About a week before the dance, he called and told me what time I would need to pick him up. (Evidently, he didn't have his Driver's license yet.) Although mom and dad thought it strange, they agreed to let me go pick him up. At the door, his mom told me to promise to have him home by a reasonable hour. From there we went to dinner- a Chinese take out place where he actually tried to speak Chinese to the server. After dinner, as I headed to the dance, he asked me to pull into the King Soopers parking lot, since he had to get something. He wouldn't let me come in with him, so I circled the parking lot until he came back. He came out with a bouquet of carnations, and proceeded to throw them at me. I set them in the back seat, and drove to the school. We had been at the dance a little while when I noticed this Sophomore girl crying everywhere we went. At first, I didn't think much of it, but she kept staring at us and sobbing. I finally asked my date if he knew what was wrong with her. He then confided that she was upset because they had been dating for the last few weeks and she was actually his girlfriend. As politely as I could I asked him what he was doing here with me then, and he answered that he was hoping he could convince me to be more than friends. After assuring him that I was not going to be his next girlfriend,I told him to go to the sobbing girl. I spent the rest of the night with old friends, and when it came time to go home, I went to find my 'date'. he actually was so humiliated that he refused to get in the car. Thinking of the promise I made to his mother, I made quite the scene and told him to get in the car before I had to call his Mommy to come pick him up. He got in the car. Luckily, I never heard from him again.

#2 In college, I was asked out by a really sweet guy from my institute class. We were double dating with his brother and another girl from church. We went to Chuck E Cheese's where he then made a big deal about singing (loudly) with the animated characters, and at the end of the meal, he made us all sing Happy Birthday to him, so we could get a free dessert. (It was not his birthday) From there we went roller skating, which could have been fun, except he was terrified of falling, and so he was sweating excessively. His whole shirt was wet with perspiration. He then clung to me (literally), pulling us both down a few times. It wasn't really such a bad date for me, but I felt so sorry for the guy. I don't think I will ever understand why you would choose an activity that you are terrified of for a first date.

#3 During my first few weeks in the Singles Ward, I was invited to go up to Estes Park with "a bunch of us from church." (and yes, that is a direct quote from the guy) I was told that we would just be picnicking and enjoying the scenery. I agreed to go, and asked if I could bring a friend along, since several people were supposedly going. He agreed and came to pick us up from my dorm. When we got up to Estes Park, it was not a 'gathering' of church friends, like he had led me to believe. We were at his family reunion. He then introduced me as his date, and told everyone how much he really liked me. Since he drove us, we were "trapped' in the mountains with strangers who were pumping me for information about how serious we were, and if I minded getting married at a young age. It was awkward, to say the least, since I barely knew the guy, and was by now pretty determined that we would not be having a future together. Luckily I had a friend with me, who was just as shocked as I was. On the trip home, I decided I needed to talk to him- to let him know there was definitely NOT an us. So when he asked if we could take me for a walk when we got back to the dorm, I agreed. There was a park just a few blocks away.

During the walk, before I could really figure out just how to "let him down gently" he started grilling me with questions like: How many dates do I have to go on before I'd let a guy kiss me? or How many kids do I want? or Do I believe in short engagements? He never let me get a word in. Sitting on the shore at the park, I quickly realized that I would never have the nerve to tell this guy off, and I started praying mentally for a way to get away from him. Why hadn't I just jumped out of the car and run into my dorm? About that time, a very large rat started swimming towards the shore, right to us. It was all the excuse I needed. I jumped up and started VERY QUICKLY back to the safety of my dorm. He was running to keep up with me. I told him thank you for the interesting day and waved to him from my dorm. To this day I am convinced that the rat was sent as an answer to my prayer to help me get away from the guy. (Coincidentally, he was engaged within about six weeks to the very next girl he asked out after me. I am SO GLAD I dodged that bullet, and wish him all sorts of happiness with his wife.)

Matt, I am so glad you found me. Thank you for being normal, and loving me so much.