The Law of Three Strikes

Last week Mr. Firefighter and I had a bit of a miscommunication. He works 24 hour shifts, so his schedule is, to say the least, kind of odd. Trying to work out a day we are both free has been a challenge. I suggested a movie Wednesday. He, miraculously, agreed. I was, of course, psyched. Wednesday rolls around, and I call to see when and where we should meet. Oops. He thought I meant next Wednesday, he was working that Wed. Okay, weird schedule, honest mistake, I had a little chuckle. He said he had a chunk of days off this week, so we agreed to see each other on Monday.

Fast forward to Monday. That morning I get a message that his nephew has a tournament, and he really wants to go see it. Would I be upset of he canceled on me? Hmm… Upset? No. It’s actually kind of sweet that he wants to see his nephew play. Very sweet, in fact. (You may have noticed that I have a big soft spot for guys who like kids.) But, disappointed? Yes. Very. It’s been over a week since I’ve seen him. And, since I know I’ve mentioned how hot he is, you can imagine how bummed I am. But, I understand things come up. Hey, I’m sure I’ve been in that same position before. No worries, we’ll get together soon.

Tuesday two things happen. a) Mr. Firefighter discovers this blog. (If you look back to last Friday, you can even see his comment posted! I’m a little nervous. Honestly, telling him where I bear my soul is about the biggest commitment I’ve made to a guy in… ever?) And b) He asks if I want to come over that night. Um…no brainer. Yes! He asks when, I retaliate with a time, and he says he’ll get right back to me. An hour later I get a call. He’s changed his mind. He has an early flight the next morning, he’s gonna pass. Maybe we’ll get together next week when he gets back into town.

Now, I like to think of myself as a pretty understanding girl. As the other Killer Fiction ladies who know me well can tell you, I’m generally a very laid back person. Not much upsets me, I take most of life in stride, and I’m pretty live and let live. But… pass? You pass on that extra helping of mashed potatoes, you don’t pass on an evening with your girl. And, while each incident was understandable in itself, that makes three times in a row now that he’s canceled on me. Were he anyone else, I’d be saying three strikes and you’re out, pal. As it is, I’ve modified this rule: three strikes and I make a date with someone else. Yes, he may be adorable. Yes, I really like this one. And, yes, I could totally fall for this guy. But I am so not a wait-by-the-phone kind of girl.

So…

Let me tell you all about Mr. Real Estate (think Mr. Big from Sex & the City). 35, cut bod, gorgeous brown eyes with those kind of long dark lashes that make you go all warm inside. I met him a couple weeks ago and we did lunch at a little Mexican place in town with this really beautiful back patio area that makes you feel like you’re actually in some Mexican oasis. Terra cotta balconies, flowering vines, beautiful mosaic fountain. Unfortunately, he was just coming from a meeting and I was just on my way out to one, so we had to cut things short. We barely had time to wolf down a couple of enchiladas and some cold Coronas before I had to leave. But, apparently leaving them wanting more is a good thing, as he was very eager to see me again. So, as soon as strike three rolled around, my passed-on self called him and we made a date for the next night.

I had a conference call that evening about one of the new TV projects I’m working on, so it was kind of late before we got started, but we ended up at this really cool brewery restaurant sampling their different award winning beers. Who knew beer came in so many different flavors? Even though I’m usually more of a martini girl, it was a lot of fun. I think my favorite was the Little Brown Bear beer. I swear it was almost chocolaty.

After the restaurant, it was a nice night out, so we walked to the movie theater and saw Iron Man. Okay, honestly, we saw the beginning of Iron Man. Neither of us was totally impressed (really, we waned to see Hancock, but it’s not out yet. *pout*) So, about halfway through, we decided to bail on Robert Downey and went back to his place to watch a DVD on his new flat screen instead. (The thing is HUGE!) Anyone ever seen the Danny DeVito movie Drowning Mona? Screwball murder comedy at its best. I was giggling out loud the whole time. Bette Midler makes a fab murder victim.

So, the moral of the story… boys, you either gotta step up to the plate or you forfeit the game.


~Trigger Happy Halliday


P.S. I'll be sure to let you all know next week if it’s game over for Mr. Firefighter or if he redeems himself with some sort of grand romantic gesture. You know, roses are always nice…