I was saying his name wrong. Things went downhill after that: Dating Diaries

Kaley is a 29-year-old customer-service manager who lives in Little Italy. Kaley says she is “happy-go-lucky, a socialista, an organizer and planner, smiley and loud” who loves “rescue dogs, spending time with my family, long weekends, summer, the great outdoors, crosswords, art and music.” Kaley says she likes guys who “have their own thing going on, their own friends, and don’t get their whole social life and all of their emotional support from their girlfriend.”

My roommates and I used to go to our local all the time, and it became such a thing that our friends who lived in further-away neighbourhoods would come by, too. We would often see this one guy out at the bar with his group of friends. We thought he was extremely cute and we would get so excited when he showed up. He was quiet and tall and dressed well, and had such an air of mystery about him. It was fun to have a “group crush” on this guy who we knew nothing about.

One night I ended up in a conversation with the hot guy. He made some random comment about my friends and I always being funny and crazy at the bar, which showed me he had been paying attention, too. He gave me his number and said his name was Joe and asked me if I wanted to go for a walk sometime. It was so sweet.

I texted Joe the next day. I never play games like waiting to text someone. I think that’s stupid. I like being up front! We met up that same day and had a good walk but I felt like I was carrying the conversation. He was interested and interesting, but I communicate at a much faster pace so I was pushing the conversation, asking most of the questions. It must have worked for him because he asked me to go out that night to a show his friend was putting on. I said I’d love to but wanted to get a bite to eat first so we would have a chance to talk.

I went home to shower and change, and met up with Joe outside of a diner I love. I felt so high on the situation. It was feeling like one of those amazing days where amazing things happen, one after the other.

The conversation at the diner was basically the same as it had been during our walk that afternoon, where he was nice and sweet but I was really leading things. As we were about to leave, he looked at me oddly and said that I had actually been saying his name wrong: his name was Joel, and I had been calling him Joe. When he asked for my number at the bar, he had told me his name, but it had been so loud.

He was completely nice about it and wasn’t mad in any way, but I was completely embarrassed. I’m usually able to handle any awkward or uncomfortable situation that comes up but I was completely frozen. I could tell I had the craziest smile on my face! I didn’t know how to act. I also kept apologizing because I didn’t know what else to say.

We went to his friend’s show as planned after that, but I wasn’t feeling the same vibes I had been at that point. I was not feeling like a confident, sexy person anymore. I think the problem was that Joel having to correct me and me feeling like an idiot made me fall down to earth. And since I was the one asking most of the questions and keeping the conversation going, it made the rest of the date feel dead. If Joel had made a joke and taken over a bit, that would have been good. The dead air definitely broke the “fantasy” of the date.

Joel, emphasis on the “l,” seemed to have a very good time, in that he tried to make out with me after the show, but I wasn’t feeling it. I hugged him goodbye and went home.

Kaley rates her date (out of 10): 1

SHARE: