Round of Second Dates

Hopeful  7  Hopeless 3

After the Gardens date, I felt it necessary to even out the playing field.  I needed to meet the two I hadn't met yet (Thomas and Alexandre) and then begin the round of second dates.  As I mentioned in my post Born to Fly, it took me awhile to come back down after the Gardens and regain some objectivity.  The idea of going on dates with other guys made me feel strange at first, but by the time I met Thomas, I was back on track for my project.  I was more determined than ever to be fair and give each of them a chance to show me whether or not we were a good fit.

After meeting Thomas, I e-mailed Alexandre and Patrick.  I had started becoming accustomed to Patrick's rhythm in answering messages, which was moderate, and figured that he would probably not be ready by the second week of October, but perhaps the third.  Alexandre, however, I expected to fit in during the second week of October, because his quick reply had suggested we had the same lunch break two days a week.  I figured I would meet him and that since I was going out for my birthday with friends, my social calendar would be maxed out for that week. 

My plans shifted, though, as plans often do.  Patrick e-mailed mid-week with a non-committal sort of answer (I will talk about it in the next post).  Alexandre was finally not available due to all the rushing around that goes with the first weeks of a new university term.  By mid-week, Thomas asked if he could "get me a slice of cake" since it was my birthday.  I put him off because his offer was for the following week and I didn't know how it was shaping up. 

So the week turned out much different than I had anticipated.  At that point, I was faced with a decision: either to go out with no one, or to see Amin again.  His schedule allowed for the most flexibility out of the four, something that also explained his ability to chat with me every day.  We had one compatible spot in our schedules that week and I decided to take it.  There were a couple of important things I wanted to discuss with him in person, rather than online.  At the time, that seemed more pressing than worries about how that would mean a third date for Amin and thus be unfair for the others.  For whatever the reason, it truly felt like those subjects could simply not wait much longer.