Mario, the Rerun

Remember Mario? He's the cutie I had met out on Halloween, only to date for about a month, and he fell off the planet right around Thanksgiving (standard Halloweenie, more on that later). I liked Mario and always had a great time with him, I remembered, until that time I ran into about a month after his disappearance the night of the "incident" at my local watering hole (if you need a refresher, check out Blog Worthy from December).


A substantial amount of time has passed, and Mario and I have kept in touch base throughout via FB mainly, occasionally text. Our initial re-contact went a little something like this: he asked if I had any good adventures lately?  I quipped, "Since running into you last, not quite as adventurous."  "agghh. i'm really really sorry," he types. I told him that it was interesting to say the least but that I liked him and all but circumstances were as they fell - out - quickly.  He tells me that he's been meaning to write to me about the whole 'incident' but that he guesses he avoided me because he didn't want anything serious but really liked hanging out.  That the night we met was "really special and fun" and that he really hoped we could be friends cause he 'likes me a lot" and again, that he was really sorry. I told him that I knew that's why he behaved the way he did but we could have just talked bout it but instead he vanished - which is the whole reason I blog to begin with, the vanishing act.  He went on to tell me that the whole next day he kept saying, "God, I'm such an asshole. I feel like such a jerk!" I told him that I was glad to know he had a conscious. I too, told him that I hoped we could be friend as I too, enjoyed his company but that it was going to take some time.

Now, I guess that was closure, for both of us.  I believe subconsciously, he behaved the way he did that run-in night because he was trying to paint a clear picture.  Message received.  It felt good to tell him that he acted like an asshole and I'm glad he felt badly for being an asshole.   Other than that chat, he would leave comments on FB page or we'd text when something reminded us of an inside joke we had (yes you can have inside jokes after 6 dates).  Here's the moral of the Mario tale, he's a Good Time Charlie (like how my mom referenced Biggie), someone to have fun with and fun to be around but that's it.  GTC doesn't settle down.  GTC aqates fun without having to be serious...

Now that your caught up to speed on what went down with (not so super) Mario, you, the reader, now know we are on good terms. Catching up one night, it was suggested watching our two teams play the pre-season game.  I thought, why not?  If anything, we sit, drink, laugh and watch one of our teams lose.  I accepted the invitation with weeks to go.  The week leading up he would text and trash talk my team and suggested that I come to the Westside so he could "show me what the westside is all about."  He even suggested me coming down early so we can ride bikes by the beach.  On a hot Saturday afternoon, I would have done anything to be out enjoying the weather, and hopefully the company that I was keeping.

What I didn't expect was the marathon of what I call the Extend-a-not-date: an appointment for a particular time; a social engagement, or occasion arrangedbeforehand with another person - in which a person is NOT picked up by the other person's mode of transportation, nor are you sure of the romantic intensions or lack there of.

Saturday - game day - we agreed to meet at his apt. around 4 (game was at 530).  Traffic was horrible and parking was a bitch.  We jump up on his bikes and ride to bar 1, which was closed. I almost wipe out (cause I think I was 12 the last time I rode a bike, voluntarily or recreationally), however managed to jump off somehow sparing myself any bodily harm.  He was very sweet to look back and ask repeatedly if I was okay as we rode to bar 2.  Mario kept commenting on how impressed he was with me getting away with not hurting myself.  Bar 2 now was not airing the game so we left and went to  bar 3 on 3rd, apparnently a regular spot for him.  We attempted again to get the game on but no one was airing the live feed.  We decided to stay and have apps and drinks anyway.  Then we took the bikes down the Pier where we hit the arcade.  We stopped by the Mexican restaurant at the very end of the pier to have margararitas, which were delcious, made wishes into the bucket that hangs above the ocean, found the final score of the game to 32-17 (not in favor of my team), and Mario had the 3 man band serenade me, his "esposa" (which means wife is Spanish).  The band was great but I laughed it off.  We walked up the pier with his arm around me, and then once again on the bikes went to a tapas bar where we each had a glass of wine and a plate of tapas which was delicious, then hopped back on our bikes to bar 3 for karaoke.  We each sang our staple -go-to song, his "Hard to Handle" and mine "Hit Me With Your Best Shot".  We quickly made friends with everyone, especially the couple near by who were helluva pair of singers and they thought we were good?!   We could have left by 10:30 but decided to stay for one my round of singing, and one more beer.   That time I debuted "I Hate Myself for Loving You," and he did "Suspiscious Minds" for me.  We both rocked it, at least in our minds, and judging by the applause of the bar.  We were like rockstars.  And we danced in-between songs, and Mario doesn't dance, but we danced like it was going out of style. He's a fun guy (GTC).  We laugh a lot and laugh often.  We left shortly after our last song and headed back to his apartment.  We were supposed to walk the bikes but half way there he said we were okay to ride, well he fell and scraped up his back and me the novice, is virtually unarmed.   I crashed there but don't get the wrong idea...

A little overserved before karaoke round two!

Sunday - decided to go for breakfast near Venice.  Back on the bikes and into the sun in my clothes from the night before.  Breakfast was delicious.  He wanted to go to the Farmers Market quickly to pick up some groceries and then ride farther into Venice but was hungover so we stopped for bloody Mary's at an Irish bar I had been too before only to discover they were re-airing the game, so we stayed for a couple and just nustled into the booth together.  After the game had begin replaying for the second time, we hopped back on the bikes and rode from there all the way back to his place by way of the beach/pier and it was nice.  I thought to myself, I never do this, the weather's perfect, this is great.  Though it was hot, I was still enjoying the day and company.  I realized that I had been with this guy who I am not romantically into or interested in for 24 hours and had to flee.  Let's make it less awkward and let me do the man-thing and just get-out-while-I-can.  I gave him a kiss on the cheek, thanked him and left. It took me forever to get home and upon returning home, I text him when I got home to -again- thank him and tell him I had a great time. He replied with "I had a blast!" 

SUMMARY: Again, GTC!  I know he's someone you have fun with, but not settle down with - though I got the sense he's maybe looking.  He's cool, funny and a gentleman - at least the past 2 days he was. Will I see him again? Dont' know. Actually, I know I won't.  Do I want to see him again?  Don't know, what's the point?  The things that worked and didn't work before are the same things that work and don't work now.  I needed a fun night out and I got it! I'm not looking for a Good Time Charlie, I'm looking for more than that!