Plane Guy ...with an E not an I

I previously mentioned a guy I had met on the plane. We talked the whole flight. He inquired about my Mancation. And we told each other some doozies of dating stories. For instance, and maybe he told it so I don’t feel like I don’t have any luck, that on the third date a girl was upset because he didn’t “show enough emotion.” I said, “Did she know you were only on the third date, cause in my book the third date is like the make it or break it point.” Miles agreed with me. Then he tells me he’s moving and later admitted to the fact that he’s caught his ex walking by his house “on the way home from work.” I ask, “Oh is that why you’re moving?” Deadpan, “Yes.” “Really?!” “No, just kidding.” Great delivery; scarily believable.

He asked questions like, “Who was your first love?” “What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done in a relationship?” and I couldn’t believe I found myself admitting or answering honestly to my stranger on a plane. In sharing my dating stories, he even asked himself, “Wow, have I ever been that rude on a date?” While most of the time he asked the hard questions because he was “nosey,” (his words, not mine) by the end of the 3½ hour flight he still was adamant about seeing me while he was here on business. We exchanged numbers and parted ways.

He texted me the very next morning to wish me well on the first day of a new semester. Sweet. We made plans later in the day to meet for dinner. He claimed it wasn’t a date to not break any of my Mancation rules, though I hadn’t told him any. I met him at his hotel for drinks as we were then going to meet his friends for dinner. Instead, I met him and one of his old co-workers and talked about his daughter’s acting career. Miles remembered everything I told him regarding what I do. Plans changed to meet his friends to instead going for sushi, just the two of us. He asked if I was okay to walk half a block in my shoes (a nod to a previous date) and ordered a bottle of wine for us (he may not know wines but he knows how to order ones that ‘don’t suck’.) We laughed and talked and our server was the happiest server I’ve ever encountered. I even joked with Miles that while in the ladies room, I was shocked to discover the 80’s were back and people do blow in bathrooms of sushi restaurants. (I’m not that naïve, I know people still do blow nowadays, I just thought it was usually Lohan at some H’wood club) Miles was equally shocked and demanded I point out the culprit. I nodded in her direction as she made her way out with her date. Wonder if that poor soul had a clue 80’s throwback needed a little snort to have a good time?

On our walk back to the hotel to get my car, I made a rookie mistake with a simple slip of the tongue. He says, “Any interest in continuing to hang out?”  I say, “What did you have in mind with making out?”  (In my former blonde head I was thinking, is he going to kiss me?) He turns and says, “What?” I said, “What did you have in mind for hanging out?”  He says, “That’s not what you said!” We laughed hysterically. I mean I had to laugh at myself. I blame the wine that didn’t suck. Embarrassed and trying to recover, he points out the obvious that the moment is already out there, so on La Cienega Boulevard we had our first kiss. It was nice. But still, instead of continuing to hang out, it was a school night for me, and I chose to go home. A little mystery can go a long way. He waited with me while my car pulled up and we said good night.

By the time I got home he had texted me asking if I was sure I didn’t want to have another cocktail. I stayed true to my word that it was a school night. He joked with me some more about the fact that I made out with him on a not date on my Mancation but the truth of the matter is I didn’t define clear rules of my Mancation. Obviously at this point, making out isn’t ruled out. A kiss doesn’t necessarily break Mancation…I think a man does.

Miles wanted to meet for breakfast before boarding his plane to the next destination but scheduling and timing didn’t permit it. Miles told me that he wanted to see me again the next time he was in town, and called me from Vegas that evening before heading out with friends. There’s something to be said for a guy who follows up, and even whatever the course may be, I know I met a nice guy who instilled a little bit of hope again…

Lesson: You never know who you’re going to meet when you leave the house…or perhaps who you’re sitting next to on an airplane! DISCLAIMER: I have to give credit to ‘Miles’ for the title. He described me to his friends as Plane Girl, with an e not an i…I had to borrow it.


Man Date: Still on the beach but thinking of testing the waters.