As I sit here, sipping my tart cherry melon kombucha and munching on some jalapeño kettle chips, I'm reminded of two of the worst dates I ever went on. Remember La Condesa guy? Yeah, like that guy, but a different type of awful.
A few years ago, I went on my first online date. I wasn't sure how I felt about online dating, but I promised some friends I was going to give it a shot. Luckily for me, the first guy that agreed to meet was only free on the night of my birthday. I explained that my parents were coming into town and I'd be running a marathon that weekend, so I couldn't stay out late or do anything crazy. He suggested Flightpath because it was close to his house and you can never go wrong meeting at a coffee shop.
We met up, get in line to order, and he orders and pays for his drink and then looks at me expectantly. He tells me to order. I am all about equality - I am always willing to pay for my own drink and I split the bill several times in the future on other dates. But this was different - there was no discussion beforehand. He didn't ask if we should split the bill. He just assumed. And on my birthday. If it had been on any other day, fine, but this was my birthday. I paid the $2.50 for my hot chocolate and then he commented on the fact that it was my birthday. The barista then told me she would have given it to me for free if she had known. Oh, well. I appreciated her kindness, but my date's kindness was sorely lacking.
The date was boring and I left after an hour or so to meet my parents. I had an easy out and I was thankful. I didn't have much interest in any further dates, but I figured I wasn't being fair. I hadn't talked with him for very long and I left early - maybe things would have gotten better once he loosened up? Maybe he was nervous?
I am far too nice sometimes.
I agreed to a second date - we met at Flightpath to get coffee and then we were going to get some beer and some food and make a night of it. We order our coffee separately, of course, and then walk to Duval market to get some beer. While he is paying for the beer, something amazing happens. He knocks his coffee over and it spills everywhere. All over the counter, all over him, some on the cashier - it was a coffee fountain that never stopped. I immediately started laughing - how could I not? I laughed so hard I was crying and my date was becoming increasingly more flustered. Now a line was forming and he was trying to hastily soak up the coffee with thin napkins, well aware that he was holding up the line. The more I watched him struggle, the more I laughed. He was now clearly annoyed with my laughter because he was embarrassed, but why couldn't he see how funny this was?
We left and ordered pizza - even though I mentioned I did not like pizza - and headed to pick it up. He made me pay, stating that he purchased the alcohol. Alcohol I wasn't even going to drink. (I drank very rarely those days and he picked a beer I didn't like, so I wasn't really planning on drinking anything.) Now I was annoyed. What the hell kind of date suggests we do all this stuff and then just springs the payment on the other person? He suggested East Side Pies and while I am very glad it led me to discover a type of pizza I'll actually eat, I was beyond irritated that we get there, walk up to the counter, pick up the pizza, and then he tells me, "You have to pay for it." Um, what? This wasn't my idea, I told you I didn't like pizza, and you didn't ask me if I would pay for it prior to us ordering! If he had asked, I wouldn't have been so irritated, but if he had asked, I would have suggested that we cook something together so I didn't spend over $20 on something I didn't even want to eat. (And he only spent $8 on the beer that only he was going to drink. Clearly a man who believes in fairness.)
There were no further dates because I was done with that douche.
On the other hand, I am not done with Flightpath. Flightpath has been nothing but sweet to me. They make an amazing hot chocolate and I can't wait to order it once the weather cools down a little more. The people working behind the counter have always been so friendly to me and I love that. I've always found a spot to sit and I love their covered patio. And the outlets - outlets everywhere! Outlets for everyone!
That guy was a total tool, but he did introduce me to Flightpath and East Side Pies, so it wasn't a total waste. read more