Green Lake

Saturday, August 15, 1998
One year ago: Odds and Ends

This morning was the earliest I have ever had a blind date! S--- sent me email a few days ago. He had seen a personal ad that I had posted. I was familiar with ads that he had posted himself; there were certain things that he always mentions, even though he might post under diferent names, that are identifying marks. One of the things he had consistently mentioned in his own ads over the months was an upper weight limit for the women he was interested in meeting, since he has been working on losing weight himself. I was always amused by this, because he lowered the required weight of his partner as his own weight dropped.

So I was very surprised that he wrote to me! I asked him about this, and made sure that he had seen that in my ads I justly describe myself as "large." I guess he has either changed his mind about this, or the thing that caught his eye in my profile counterbalanced his preference that all of his potential partners should weigh at least thirty pounds less than himself.

So I agreed to meet him this morning and walk around Greenlake. My original idea had been to meet around ten AM. He said he'd rather meet earlier, because later the lakeside path gets crowded and the sun can be powerful. So I dragged myself out of bed after my late night last night, and got myself over to S---'s place, a block away from the lake only fifteen minutes after the appointed time, at eight forty five [!]. I buzzed his apartment and he came downstairs. We were about to start on our walk when I requested a side trip to the espresso stand. I needed caffeine! He translated this into going upstairs to his apartment, despite my saying that what I really wanted was a granita, since I'm not really a coffee afficionado. S---- fixed me a very nice cappucino. with a biscotti. (But do we see the trend here?)

We started out on our walk again. I carried my Frank Lloyd Wright stained-glass-patterned umbrella, since it was cool and cloudy, and was threatening to drizzle at any moment. Greenlake is really a very nice place, one of the gems of Seattle. But why do people come there from all around the area? There are lots of other nice parks in the city, but people like to use the trail loop around the eponymous lake. S---- demonstrated his engineer's mind by comparing the number of people per 100 feet present right then, early on a cloudy day, with his estimate of the number of people per 100 feet later on a sunny day.

As we were walking, S--- told me about his life and his family. He was born in India, but has been in the United States since he started college. He is divorced, with two grown children. I did ask him why he wasn't looking for an Indian woman. He said unattached Indian women of a suitable age aren't too plentiful in Washington, and to go to India and bring back someone would be too much of a cultural wrench for her.

I was tickled that I was able to point out a heron standing in the water at the edge of the lake, something S--- hadn't ever seen in several years of daily walks around the lake!

When we got back to his building, S--- wanted me to come in so he could make me lunch. But I already had plans for the afternoon. A fun morning!

*     *     *     *     *     *     *    *

The afternoon plan was a get-togther of the Fool Serious group. We are full-series pass holders of the Seattle International Film Festival. We met at Murphy's pub for lunch and chatting, then went across the street to see The Avengers. The movie wasn't great, but I did like the scene where Steed was helping Mrs. Peel on with her boot. Sexy! But I even found myself dozing off during the car chase sequence with mechanical wasps. I was pleased that my friend Jon Newman was able to join this outing. I don't see as much of him since we aren't in dance class together right now.

After the movie, I went home and napped, instead of joining the group for part three of the afternoon proceedings, more food and beverages somewhere. As I was lying down and listening to the radio, I was afflicted by a melancholic mood. Fatigue and low blood sugar, I guess!

*     *     *     *     *     *     *    *

Tonight was the second edition of a swing dance at the Meany hotel. I still have my doubts about this whole thing. I think most lindy dancers in town went either to the second night of Indigo Swing at the Century Ballroom, whom I saw last night, or to the Ballard Eagles. But I had my share of partners, and some very good ones! I saw a familar face, Hugh, but I couldn't remember where we had danced before. We did well together, though! I also met "The other Anita" for the first time. Anita is another Microsoft worker that posts in the same public folders as me, and sometimes people who haven't met either of us get confused about who wrote what.

My friend "Hyper" Dan was the M.C for the evening, and also was in the dance contest. He dragooned me into pushing the button to start the music for this. I'd have joined the contest if I had a partner! I'd been dancing with someone earlier (the eventual winner of the contest, Cort) and saw my friend Anne at the door of the hall with a companion. She was evidently deciding on whether to come in. I didn't break away and run and ask her to stay and be in the contest with me, though I was sorely tempted. But she left before the song was over. Darn! She's developing into a good lead! We danced togther last Saturday and it was great!

Dan is developing into a local celebrity. It was fun seeing several young women bring their dates over and approach him for dance advice.

So the dance was fun, but we'll have to give this one more try in September.

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