Let the Romance Begin!

Today I had to run by the library at my school to get some resources for a project.  As I was walking in I noticed a man standing next to the entrance talking on his phone with an accent, which I appreciated because apparently everyone else is just talking on their phone in the library these days.  After I went in I had to do some research before I got my books, so I stopped by the computers first.  While I was sitting there the man from outside walked up and sat at the computer next to me, so I smiled at him, finished my work and went in search for my books.

As I was checking out my books the man with the accented voice came up behind me and said:  “I thought you’d already left.”

I was a little surprised because he was talking to me as if we had carried on a conversation before and I barely recognized him, but I told him that I was on my way out, to which he responded: “Well, I wanted to have a chat with you before you leave.”

Now, I wasn’t standing in front of a mirror, but you can bet that I had a bewildered expression on my face as I answered: “Ok.  What’s up?”  The man said I could finish checking out and that he would just wait outside for me to have our chat.

When the little girl checking out my books came back I wanted, with all my heart, to tell her that if I was reported missing to please let my parents know that I love them (Don’t you love how quickly I took that to the worst possible scenario??).  But I didn’t do that.  Instead, I begrudgingly walked outside to meet him.

Let’s just pause here for my to describe this fellow.  If I had to guess he was probably about 35+, of African descent with an accent and he was a little short.  Because if a man wants to talk to me, you can bet good money he isn’t gonna be a Justin Timberlake stand-in.  (I’m just kidding, looks aren’t as important to me as a man who understands the boundaries of commonly-accepted social behavior.)

Pretty much this gentleman, whose name is George, had a feeling that he was supposed to come talk to me.  After he found out that I went to DBU he said that “God told me to come chat with you.”

George was very inquisitive, he asked me where I lived, where I did my undergrad, what I was studying, if I lived with my parents, if I was a native Texan, and if I had ever had to take a New Testament class, among other things.  I learned a few things about George too.  He is originally from Cameroon, but grew up in Germany.  He just moved to Texas from Mary-land (his pronunciation) and lives near Denton.

Finally George said “I would love for us to meet again sometime.”  Too which, I thought, we’ve barely met the first time…

And then George asked for my phone number.  I was very flustered but then he said “or I can give you mine, or we can both trade numbers”.  And I had found my out. 

I quickly lied through my teeth and told George that I was having phone troubles.  I think I said something along the lines of “due to billing issues” (Clearly, I’m gifted with the tall-tale).  And got George’s number.

He said he was very concerned that I would forget to call him and he would really love to meet with me again and if I would let him then he would like to pick me up.  He said over and over again “Please don’t forget.”

Oh, George, how I wish I COULD forget.