Wet paper towel test

The day after my divorce was final, I traveled to my hometown for my high school reunion. Since my best girlfriends blew it off, I said, "What the fuck," and went. Alone. I had a blast, and I looked and felt fabulous.

An old acquaintance and I ended up talking. He's separated and doesn't live far from me. We joined some others at a dive bar afterwards, and I drove him back to his hotel. We shared a brief goodnight kiss and I left.

Once we got back home, he texted, called and, as an avid concert-goer and HUGE Journey fan, he invited me to his like twenty-fourth Journey concert. I love me some Journey too, so I said yes.

Then the texts started. Lots of them. Here's a sample with the grammar and spelling corrected (can't help it, I'm a writer).

"Hello beautiful sunshine! I wanted to make sure you had a wonderful week!  I have your Journey ticket so Don't Stop Believing. Just maybe if you're in town next week we could meet after work for beverages.

You really rock! I remember in high school thinking how pretty you are and wanting to get to know you, so when I see that picture from high school I remember. But wow, now you're beautiful! Looking forward to seeing you and explaining how I've tried to be better now than that crazy guy you probably heard about from school! LOL!" 

We did meet for drinks and had a good time rehashing high school stories and who was and wasn't at the reunion. And a week later, we went out for dinner, a movie and to hear a band. We ate at a restaurant where my good and very wise, beautiful friend is a bartender, so she got a chance to observe and to talk to him. As soon as my date stepped away to the bathroom, she said two things. "Why is this your credit card?" and

"He's a wet paper towel."

I agree. There were no fireworks on my end, and I had a vision of a wet paper towel the rest of the evening. But we had good conversation and I enjoyed the night.

Then more calls and texts came. Lots. 

"You're even more beautiful in person. Thank you for an awesome evening . . . You really made my nite rock! You are incredible! Listening to Journey In The Eyes of a Woman. That's you!"

"If I'm the last to tell you today you're incredibly beautiful and you rock!!!!!"

Okay, I'll stop. You get the picture. Pretty over the top, huh? He hyped the concert for weeks. "3 weeks 'til Journey" "Aren't you so excited!"

We ended up not going to see Journey. He got himself stuck out of town helping a friend.

Wet paper towel.

By missing Journey, I got to go to my friend's bachelorette party, so I'm a happy single girl. And, although I'm still learning, I'm starting to get the hang of doing my own wet paper towel test.

Thank you to my friend for this wisdom and the many laughs over this. You know who you are. xo

Love to the single girls,
Addison