I live in probably the world's largest dating mecha. Single or married, if you are not having to pencil in real life around your dates, then you will find yourself with a nice view of some nasty nostrils from people looking down the bridges of their noses at you, wondering, figuring, assuming what is wrong with you. "He must have committment issues." "She's probably a 'career girl.'" "He must be totally insecure." "Yup, incomprehnsible social skills. I can tell." "Not the datable type." With this mantra, weedends are very paired off, and very entertaining. So with this in mind, what might you see on a Friday or Saturday night here? Lots of dinner dates, hand holding, eyelash batting, hearty laughter to not funny jokes, late night secluded strolls, star gazers, bla bla bla, but could there be more to their stories?
Sitting at a traffic light in my car one Friday evening, about 7:00, prime date time (that's clever writing because that rhymes), I caught myself people watching the cars surrounding me, and snowballing into ever increasing judgemetns of each person, becoming the insider of what was really going on in the cars around me...the rest of the story.
Car immediately to the left: A young boy and girl. Girl, I imagine as being about a sophmore, has long hair curled to complete perfection, fancy ruffly blousel, and shiny lips. The car exuded stiffened smiles and forced laughter with unnaturall attempts at filling every second with vivid conversation. Both trying entirely too hard to impress. Definite first date. My prognosis for the night: conversation flopping at some mediocre restaraunt with both members of the party staring uncomfortably at their plates as they eat, desperately trying to figure out what to say next. But a second date? Yes, I imagine there was a second date. She was way too cute for him to not ask her out again, and she was way too giggly for there to not be a second date.
Car immediately to the right: A young couple, clearly "a couple," a little more relaxed, a little less impressive. The girl looked nice, but she clearly didn't spend any extra time getting ready for the date. She was in the middle of something great according to her animation, clearly not needing much reinforcement and clearly the subject being only great in her opinion as the dude's eyes led to a dead stare into the road ahead, contributing nothing. Probably not even listening. My prognosis for the night: Relatively newlywed couple trying to fulfill their date night duty by going to a movie, probably a chic-flic. Probably went straight home afterwards. He might have been told off at some point in the night for not being quite attentive enough, but then again, it wouldn't surprise me if she didn't even notice the lack of attention.
Car just behind to the right: Couple sitting in front, car seat and baby sitting in back. Girl slouching in the passenger seat, leaning against the passenger window with her head slung against her fist. Body posture exuding complete boredom. Boy, once again, staring blankly straight ahead. No emotion. No conversation. No interaction. Prognosis for the night: Going to pick up the cheapest ice cream in the nearest grocery store in attempts to liven up the mundane routine of every night followed by an early bedtime.
My car: What might people have been thinking of me, sitting there with, heavenforbid, nobody but myself in my car? "Probably a crazy cat lady." They might say. "Maybe going to drown her bitterness in some Ben and Jerry's the way she's watching us like that." This is probably what the couple in the first car was laughing at so vigorously. I'm sure they'll milk that subject far past its worth. Glad I could be an attempted start at an inside joke. Anything to fill that awkward silence, right?
