No place for beginners or sensitive hearts....

It's Friday night of last week and I got all dressed up for my big date. My pre-date ritual is all planned out: I printed out the directions to the venue, drove with white knuckles on my steering wheel through the confusing streets of Pasadena, arrived early and sat in my car to ward off any jitters.

I texted on my phone to pass the time, listening to the radio as I saw more and more teenagers and young adults file past me into the No Future Café. The pit of my stomach churned. I totally didn't look like anyone there and worse yet, everyone seemed to know each other. I felt even more alone and nervous as I sat in my car, perfectly still, like some weird statue. I texted Ray to see where he was at. To my dismay I read the following:

Ray: I had sent you a message via FB that I wasn't going to be able to make it. I had suggested we meet up for coffee or something tomorrow, if time permits???

Now I don't want to call the kid a liar, but I checked my FB moments before I left the house and there was no such "message." Whatever. I was too fucking heartbroken to reply. I immediately backed out of my parking spot, narrowly squeezing past some annoyed Latino hipsters who were loitering behind my car. I took off into yet another perfect L.A. summer night, like a wounded bat out of hell. I decided to stop by Tommy's and console myself with a chili burger and fries but I turned on the wrong street and wound up on my route home. FFFFFFFFFUUU...I stopped at Burger King instead, too angry to be on the verge of tears. My mom didn't question why I got back so early....I saved myself some embarrassment there at least.

I immediately fired back a response via text when I was safe and sound in my room.

Me: Yeah, no net on my phone. Must've missed that. Tomorrow is no good. Maybe next weekend? Or between the week? You pick this time.

Imagine my surprise when I actually get some good news:

Ray: Next Saturday, Starbucks in Atlantic Square, 1 pm.

I finish my meal and make an effort to put on a happy face:

Me: You got it. It's going on my planner. See ya then!

I get canceled on pretty often, so we'll see if this even materializes. Ray is going to have to be pretty damn charming for me to forget this aborted coffee date.