Blind Date #5: Carter
When I met him at the bar in the Hotel Sofîtel where the fundraiser was taking place, Carter quickly surveyed my fetching Christmas-green dress and full, flowing hair, then deemed me acceptable to proceed inside the ballroom. He told me that I shouldn’t talk much, but answer in short, cheerful answers if spoken to. If anyone asked about the status of our “relationship,” I was to smile and say that we’re “just friends.” I was to have only one drink and not pig out on the hors d’oeuvres … nah, I just made that up!
“You don’t look like a mortician,” he said. I smiled the smile I smile every time I heard this observation.
He was spotted immediately upon entering the room and a small group of men approached us. He pulled my sleeve and asked me to be “on” for this group. Introductions were made and I was poised and ready for anything that came my way. All I was asked was the typical “how are you?” pleasantry. As soon as they parted company with us he told me that I was strikingly attractive, more so than any woman these people had ever seen him with. Eye bat! Hair toss!
We walked to a table to meet a few other people. Again, just the same basic question. The night proceeded this way for awhile and then we took our seat at an almost front-row table. It did feel exciting, and he was handsome and powerful to sit next to. And he smelled delicious! I occasionally glanced around to see if anyone was staring, trying to figure out who his new girlfriend was. I was only met with polite, stiff smiles.
Music started to signal dancing, but Carter had a seven AM meeting at the county building and needed to call it a night. I was so bummed because not only would we be parting ways soon, but I wouldn’t be able to show off my dancing from years of teaching dance at Arthur Murray.
Carter says he often misses out on a lot of fun, and because of that, he had to let a lot of nice women find more available men to date. He was afraid that when he did marry he might be working all hours, or traveling, and not be around for his wife and children.
“Career has always been stressed in my family, and I cannot let love or children take my dreams away.”
It was not what I wanted to hear, but at least I heard it now while I was absorbed in the hopes of a potential second date. I was way too traditional to accept that. I’d have ended up being that whiny, annoying wife who demanded his time and attention because I was ready for a participatory, full-time relationship, not living in the shadow of one. It would have never worked out, for the simple reason that I knew Carter would win every office he ran for. But after spending this time with him I found him to be a good man, so I wished Carter good night and good luck in his career aspirations, and told him he had my vote. Hearing that, he gave me the biggest smile of the evening.