not to be the case. So I’m taking a chance.
I’ve lived in New Orleans for a few years. My last relationship
ended amicably six months ago, and I’m ready to meet someone
nice. So if you’re a good person, and you would like to talk, I’d
like to hear from you.
Marci
P.S. Avoid “Charity” like the plague. She’s seriously
twisted.
If Marci thought Charity was twisted, she might just be worth
a try.
Hi, Marci,
My profile is odd, I admit that. I couldn’t think of anything
that I thought was eye-catching, so what you’ve read was what
I came up with. Maybe I’ll update it when I’m not having a few
glasses of wine.
I hear what you’re saying about the people on here. It’s hard
Robin Alexander
to judge character when you’re looking at a computer screen.
For all you know, I could be a six hundred-pound man with back
hair, but I’m not. I’m just your average girl who’s on the shy side,
hoping to meet someone nice, too.
Instead of asking the usual sil y questions, let me ask you
something off the wal . If you could change anything about
yourself, what would it be?
P.U.
I turned up the volume on my computer and put my new
clothes in the wash. I heard the ding of a new message when I
walked back into the living room.
Hey, P.U.,
As they say, we are all our harshest critics. If I had to pick
one thing from my long list, it would be to let my hair down more
often and jump into new things with both feet. I have a terrible
habit of second-guessing myself and being too afraid of just
getting out there, ya know?
Marci
Yes, I did know. I silently prayed that I wasn’t talking to a six
hundred-pound furry freak man and replied.
Hi, Marci,
I know exactly what you’re saying. I also know that we can
hide behind these computers for months being afraid to take
the next step. So with that said, would you like to have coffee
sometime? We could meet in a public place, and if it doesn’t work
out, we’ll know right off the bat.
I realized that I kind of sounded as blunt as Charity, so I had
to add a disclaimer.
I see that you too have encountered Charity, and I assure you
that I’m nothing like her. <grin>
P.U.
4
Pitifully Ugly
We talked for another two hours, and I had a date for drinks
the next evening.
It’s funny how new clothes that fit well instill confidence.
I was nervous, sure, but I was pleased with my reflection in the
mirror. I kept telling myself that this was no big deal, just a couple
of drinks, and if things didn’t work out, I’d never see Marci again.
It was a lot better than being fixed up by someone you knew and
that person would know all the gory date details. If I made a fool
of myself, only one other person would have to know.
I met up with Hailey in the courtyard as she came home
from work. She looked tired, and I didn’t try to keep her. I hoped
that it was just what she said—busy with work. The gnawing
in my stomach and the tiny voice in the back of my mind said
otherwise.
“Long day?” I asked as she approached.
“Very.” Hailey swiped a strand of hair from her eyes. “You
look nice.”
“Thank you. I…I’m meeting someone for drinks.”
Her face held no expression. “I hope it goes better for you
than last time,” she said wearily.
“I appreciate that.” An awkward silence settled between us.
“Well, I better get going. I hope things get better for you at the
office.”
She shot me a halfhearted smile and walked away.
“Hailey,” I called out, causing her to stop and look back at
me. “If I did something to offend you, I hope you’ll tell me.”
She looked as though she were going to say something, then
shook her head. “Stop worrying, everything’s okay. Maybe we
can play tennis again next week.”
“Okay,” I said as I watched her go.
Marci, to my delight, was neither a man nor anything like
Charity. She was a cutie with a vivacious personality to boot. She
did most of the talking, which made things easier on me. She had
a raspy voice that I found sexy, and I could’ve listened to it for
hours. In fact, I did.
Robin Alexander
The only drawback was that she had blond hair, and for a few
seconds, I was reminded of Hailey. I tamped that thought down.
We were roughly the same height, but her build was slightly larger
than mine. I liked that about her. Her eyes were brown, unlike
Hailey’s green. I found myself once again surprised and irritated
that I was thinking about Hailey, a straight woman who was only
offering friendship.
“Do you think you’d be interested in having dinner with me
Friday night?” Marci asked out of the blue.
“I’d love to, and I applaud you for jumping out there and
asking me because I was sitting here trying to muster the courage
to do the same.”
“Well, you accepted, so you jumped out there, too.” She
clinked her glass with mine.
“Do you like seafood?” Marci asked.
“Love it.”
“I know a great place that I think you’ll enjoy then. Do you
want to meet somewhere or are you comfortable with me picking
you up?”
I answered by swiping a pen from the bar and jotting my
address on a napkin along with my phone number.
“I wanna ask you something,” Marci said as she stuffed the
napkin into her purse. “Why did you pick the name Pitifully
Ugly? I think you’re really cute.”
“Thanks,” I said with a smile. “This is going to sound
pathetic,” I began as I wiped the moisture from my glass. “I felt
pitifully ugly the night I made my profile. I’d just come home
from a nightmare date that my sister set me up on, and I knew if
I didn’t put something out then, I’d never do it.”
“I’m glad you did,” Marci said with a shy smile. “You’re the
nicest person I’ve met in the Rainbow Room.”
“Have you been on many dates since joining?”
Marci held up three fingers as she took a sip of her drink.
“The last was with Charity, and I almost gave up.”
I nodded and laughed. “I met her for coffee, and I almost
threw in the towel myself.”
Marci held up her glass in toast again. “Here’s to not giving up.”
Pitifully Ugly
I clinked my glass with hers and made a toast of my own.