The Curly-Haired Stranger

I went to my bar last night because I thought they were having a band and I thought my bartender crush would be there. Turns out I was mistaken on both counts, but as soon as I walked in I spotted a few of the regulars I used to know as well as a bartender I used to work with, so I hunkered down at the end of the bar, a young gal surrounded by old men. We had a good chat.

Later, once the men had left, I had the end of the bar pretty much to myself and I sipped a drink and did some writing in my notebook. Just as I was starting to feel disappointed that there was no band (nor my crush), a cute guy my age walked over to me. He was maybe around 5'7", slender, with glasses and curly brown hair.

Him: Do you work here?
Me: No.
Him: Oh, I just saw you writing and thought maybe you did.

Since I clearly was sitting, not wearing an apron or anything with the bar insignia, etc. I knew it was pretty obvious to anyone who was paying attention that I was not working. In the past, my reaction to his blunder would have been to blow him off, but I'm being more social these days, nicer, right? So, instead I just smiled. After all, it was pretty clear that the point of the question was not the answer itself, but to start talking to me, so what he said was less important than the fact that he said something.

Him: So what are you writing?
Me: I'm working on a short story.
Him: Really? That's cool. I've got a novel I've been trying to finish for about two years now.

That was soon followed by, "You mind if I sit down?" Then his buddy came over and he told the buddy, "I'll meet up with you there."

That's when I thought to myself that, for the first time in my life, I was actually being picked up in a bar. We sat and talked for over an hour, finding out that we actually have a lot of things in common. The night ended with an exchange of numbers and an invitation to see a movie.

All this effort with the going out in public and being social, and I actually met a guy. Even if it goes no further, I've got to say it was nice to get chatted up last night, especially since I think I could genuinely get along with him. And, did I mention the curls?

In pursuit of my crush on the bartender, I ended up with a date with another guy. That's funny.