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John43 wanted to meet me. Urgently. Bearing in mind that we had never met before I saw no dire urgency in an immediate rendezvous. Did he know some thing that I did not know? Was it the end of world perhaps, again? Was the President about to make a watershed speech which would change life as we know it? Not likely. The Rubicon days are long gone. And any special speech made by our number one can only spell a currency tailspin. So, I saw no hurry to meet. Maybe he has an incurable disease and as an orphan sans offspring was in a rush to find a benefactor for his estate. That piqued my interest. "Can you meet me, now?" John43 asked. "No!" said I as I was at work. "Later?" he asked. "After work I have one hour on the nose." I said. We made a time, after work, that day.
I arrived on time. As I do. I refrained from ordering myself a beverage. Ever polite I am. I wait for my dates before ordering. I waited. John43 called after I had been waiting for 15 minutes. "Sorry, something cropped up, I am on my way". He was running late. Clearly he was running late. I was in the suburbs. He was at the seaside, still. "Let's reconvene, I have to leave here in 45" I suggested. John43 would hear nothing of it.
John43 has chutzpah. He has great energy. He was energetic and engaging. He was also not shy to promote himself. I learned how awesome he is. I shall indulge him, after all a first date is a marketing exercise and in the words of my boss, "you only get one bite at the cherry!" The said boss is referring to business not girls a propos of cherries. But I like the association either way.
John43 was very concerned that I would not have enough time for him. "You're busy. Too busy. You work. You have kids. Where is there space for me?" he probed. "And I am not giving up my house. My last girlfriend refused to move in with me, she wanted me to move in with her, that is why she is now an ex-girlfriend". John43 was very clear about his needs. His needs, please note. "We make time for those we wish to ..." was my retort but John43 was not convinced by my platitudes.
I had to depart after the then 30-minute meeting. "Call me if you want to see me again!" he said. "You call me!" I responded. "No, you're so busy, how will I know if you're free?" "Call me!" was my reply. "When are you free, then?" he asked then and there. "Call me!" I replied and skipped off into the blue yonder.
My mobile telephone rang six minutes later. Twice. I was talking to a friend (face-to-face) so I didn't take the call. John43 left a voicemail. He was in the local supermarket and was purchasing his supper. Lasagne and salad. Different. This supermarket is the be all and end all for bachelors. Heat and eat all the way. Would I like to come over to his home for supper?
I called back and thanked John43 and explained that I was not free that evening. It was of course already the evening. And I was not free. I had plans. Funny that. "You see, you have no time for me!" he said in response.