That’s What Friends Are For
My friend Amy gave me a homework assignment this week: Call the guy at the meditation center who has a crush on me, instead of avoiding him like I have been.
“No,” I told her.
“Why not? He’s there. Right there,” said Amy. “He writes poetry. He plays guitar and piano. He has an environmental career and a house. He meditates. He has a red beard – you’re crazy about red beards!”
“No. I can’t because I don’t have my shit together. I’m not ready to be with someone. My desires are all twisted up into this ball of worry and lust – not dating material by any means.”
“It’s never going to be perfect. You have to start back in sometime,” she said.
“But I don’t want to lead him on,” I said.
“Who says you will be? You’re honest, right. You want to try something, right? There’s no harm in coffee or a movie. Just keep is simple. Go slow.”
“Ok. But then what if there’s no chemistry, and I’m the one who asked him out and then I have to say NO in the end? That seems unfair.”
“It’s not unfair at all. That’s life. Just be upfront from the very beginning,” she said. “Listen – are you nervous around him?”
“Yes,” I confessed.
“Hah!” She laughed. “I’m giving you one week.”
“What?”
“One week to call him and make plans.”
“Fine,” I said. And maybe I smiled, a little.