Pulp Fiction
This is Amber.
I have a pretty busy and hectic life these days, with a full time job/career, being a single Mom, having some social/professional activities and attending church regularly. I've only dated sporadically since being online, but I still like to go out and have fun at times when I have my freedom. My favorite place over the last few years is my neighborhood pub (think "Cheers") where some people know my name...
They serve decent food, and good beer. The atmosphere is sort of a family/neighborly one with lots of smiles and hugs. And the band is world class!! It's a good time just to hang out, listen to them play, and sing along.
One regular Friday night, I met a girlfriend at the pub. We previously made plans to go to my house and sing karaoke after a few drinks. During the evening, this guy came over to talk to me-Derek-and he seemed harmless. He offered me his business card, since our businesses compliment, and I gave him the number on my card, since I didn't have any on me. (happens to be home number, but I didn't tell him that) This is more exchange than I usually give to a guy in a bar, but he was not hitting on me, he seemed nice and charming, not threatening at all.
He did mention a movie that he'd seem recently, and suggested we go rent it. I declined. Some time later, my cell phone rang-Derek was sitting next to me, and said, "They can't hear you from in here, you better go outside." And I did. For about 2 minutes, I left my purse and beer on the bar and walked out to take the call, said I'll call back...Went back in and finished my beer-the second of two for the night.
I left shortly after that, and Derek acted a little wounded that I was leaving. I told him he can call me sometime, he has my home number. I went to my car and drove home 2 miles away-my friend and a guy she knows were to follow me from the pub (not information I shared with Derek, since I had no intention of pursuing anything with him or inviting him along).
My friends arrived at my house about 5 minutes after me, and moments later, my home phone rang. I said it's odd at this hour, and checked the caller ID-it was Derek (his cell number is on the business card he gave me). So I answered, and he asked if I made it home OK...Well yes. Then he said, "So, How're ya doin'?" I thought this was a stupid come-on and I said "I'm fine, how are you?" Then I got off the phone, and my friends and I laughed a little, because we decided he must have expected I would invite him over or something...
Or something is right.
Ten minutes later, we were singing and talking, when I started to feel very strange, and I felt "locked-down" where I could not control my vocal cords or my mouth to sing, or even to speak to tell my friends. I started to feel dizzy, swimming, and I knew something was very wrong. I stood up slowly to try to make it to my bedroom, and paused, leaning on the kitchen counter...that's the last thing I remember.
I regained consciousness to my friends' mania trying to sit me up, stop the blood coming from my face and make sure I wasn't dying. They witnessed me black out and fall face first on to the hardwood floor in my kitchen...
"So, How're ya doin'?"
I recalled the question with a new clarity, and remembered Derek's urging to go outside to take the phone call, leaving my drink at the bar next to him. Stupid, stupid girl.
It took several weeks to heal, and I now have a scar on my nose and one by my eyebrow where my face impacted with the floor. And I have not been back to the pub since.
However, I had occasion to see Sherlock at his place of work the following week, and I told him what happened (fresh wounds on my face to show for it) , gave him a copy of Derek's card. The profile of someone like Derek is actually quite dangerous-acting in plain sight, slick enough to be charming and seem harmless, with major balls to target someone like me. He never actually invited me to leave with him, but to get a movie, and he never quite hit on me or made "advances" like many do (but he's also not aware that I had witnesses in my home when he called me).
So, chalk this up to a lesson learned. I was very angry for a while, and I'm still shocked and in disbelief about the whole thing. Fortunately, I made it home OK, and had friends over to help me so I didn't drown in a pool of blood in my kitchen.
After this, internet dating does not seem so bad!
Oh, FYI-I told everyone that I slipped on the hard wood floor in my soft cozy socks, and hit my face on the way down. Nobody has a problem believing I'm just a klutz. What's that all about?
I have a pretty busy and hectic life these days, with a full time job/career, being a single Mom, having some social/professional activities and attending church regularly. I've only dated sporadically since being online, but I still like to go out and have fun at times when I have my freedom. My favorite place over the last few years is my neighborhood pub (think "Cheers") where some people know my name...
They serve decent food, and good beer. The atmosphere is sort of a family/neighborly one with lots of smiles and hugs. And the band is world class!! It's a good time just to hang out, listen to them play, and sing along.
One regular Friday night, I met a girlfriend at the pub. We previously made plans to go to my house and sing karaoke after a few drinks. During the evening, this guy came over to talk to me-Derek-and he seemed harmless. He offered me his business card, since our businesses compliment, and I gave him the number on my card, since I didn't have any on me. (happens to be home number, but I didn't tell him that) This is more exchange than I usually give to a guy in a bar, but he was not hitting on me, he seemed nice and charming, not threatening at all.
He did mention a movie that he'd seem recently, and suggested we go rent it. I declined. Some time later, my cell phone rang-Derek was sitting next to me, and said, "They can't hear you from in here, you better go outside." And I did. For about 2 minutes, I left my purse and beer on the bar and walked out to take the call, said I'll call back...Went back in and finished my beer-the second of two for the night.
I left shortly after that, and Derek acted a little wounded that I was leaving. I told him he can call me sometime, he has my home number. I went to my car and drove home 2 miles away-my friend and a guy she knows were to follow me from the pub (not information I shared with Derek, since I had no intention of pursuing anything with him or inviting him along).
My friends arrived at my house about 5 minutes after me, and moments later, my home phone rang. I said it's odd at this hour, and checked the caller ID-it was Derek (his cell number is on the business card he gave me). So I answered, and he asked if I made it home OK...Well yes. Then he said, "So, How're ya doin'?" I thought this was a stupid come-on and I said "I'm fine, how are you?" Then I got off the phone, and my friends and I laughed a little, because we decided he must have expected I would invite him over or something...
Or something is right.
Ten minutes later, we were singing and talking, when I started to feel very strange, and I felt "locked-down" where I could not control my vocal cords or my mouth to sing, or even to speak to tell my friends. I started to feel dizzy, swimming, and I knew something was very wrong. I stood up slowly to try to make it to my bedroom, and paused, leaning on the kitchen counter...that's the last thing I remember.
I regained consciousness to my friends' mania trying to sit me up, stop the blood coming from my face and make sure I wasn't dying. They witnessed me black out and fall face first on to the hardwood floor in my kitchen...
"So, How're ya doin'?"
I recalled the question with a new clarity, and remembered Derek's urging to go outside to take the phone call, leaving my drink at the bar next to him. Stupid, stupid girl.
It took several weeks to heal, and I now have a scar on my nose and one by my eyebrow where my face impacted with the floor. And I have not been back to the pub since.
However, I had occasion to see Sherlock at his place of work the following week, and I told him what happened (fresh wounds on my face to show for it) , gave him a copy of Derek's card. The profile of someone like Derek is actually quite dangerous-acting in plain sight, slick enough to be charming and seem harmless, with major balls to target someone like me. He never actually invited me to leave with him, but to get a movie, and he never quite hit on me or made "advances" like many do (but he's also not aware that I had witnesses in my home when he called me).
So, chalk this up to a lesson learned. I was very angry for a while, and I'm still shocked and in disbelief about the whole thing. Fortunately, I made it home OK, and had friends over to help me so I didn't drown in a pool of blood in my kitchen.
After this, internet dating does not seem so bad!
Oh, FYI-I told everyone that I slipped on the hard wood floor in my soft cozy socks, and hit my face on the way down. Nobody has a problem believing I'm just a klutz. What's that all about?
posted by Amber and Tiffany at 7:20 PM
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