Finally! I'm allowed to date...

Apparently, I've been given the green light by my family to go ahead and find someone to date. My mother told me last week that she always told me I wasn't allowed to date until I was 37. I now have her permission. Um, gee, thanks ma. And (you're gonna love this.) Junior is:
1) my oldest daughter
2) the spawn of Satan - not necessarily in that order
3) trying to "hook me up" with her boss

*background*

While hanging out with some friends last Monday, she ran into the Brickman. They got to chit-chatting and he told her if she showed up to the job-site the next day, he'd put her to work. She, being the workaholic just like me, went. He was blown away. He told her he never expected her to show but he would work her. Told her he never paid his newbies more than $10/hour. She said that was fine, she made $3.43 as a server at Pizza Hut. He said he shoulda told her $5; she told him $10 was acceptable. lol good for her. She has her father's moxie.

So she works rigging scaffolding and laying brick. Seriously. And does it well. That's my girl. Of course, it helps that my stepdad was in construction for 35 years. We did a lot of stuff. My brother is one of the best mortar mixers around; I used to cut the lumber for framing jobs, and I've done my share of roofing. She has been around construction and masonry since she was 3. Brickman is amazed. Asks her if she wants to come back Thursday to do some more. She's loving making money. They agree to meet at a local hangout that night so he can pay her. Yea, I'm thinking "uh huh" as well; said he didn't bring cash because he didn't expect her to show. To his credit, he shows and pays her. They chit-chat some more and he finds out from her that

1) I'm single with three nearly grown kids
2) I'm really cool and look just like her, and I'm "classy"
3) I am able to drive a truck
4) I work just as much as he does and don't have a life either

Does this child ever shut the hell up? He is single as well (divorced) with two kids (16/6). He tells her he's interested in meeting me. She notes that.

Thursday she goes to work for him, again does well. They agree to her working Friday too. We catch up that night at home. She tells me he asked her if she told him about me. She tells him no. She said he was sad. "Why not?" She tells him, "My momma is a grown woman. I don't hook her up." Atta girl. He asks her to talk to me. I tell her that she needs to clarify that I do NOT look just like her (she's about the size of a matchstick with long, flowing, blonde hair.) She mentions this to him, told him I said she had to set him straight and that I'm bigger than her. He tells her, "Well, yea, she's 20 years older and has 3 kids; she's not going to look like she's 17." Hmmm. I don't know whether to be surprised or aggravated.

Anyhow. She worked yesterday morning for him at a bigger site. God love her; she forgot what it's like to work outside all day. She took 2 bottles of tea with her, and they had water at the site. The other workers were nice enough to share their snacks with her, and they took her to McDonald's for lunch. I had to stop at the store last night, and I know she's working 2 more days this week so I got her some sandwich stuff, grapes, carrots, breakfast bars, some little bags of chips and flavored bottled water. A little more than I wanted to spend, but she's gonna need it. Her little eyes lit up when I showed her, and brought out the cooler she could use to pack her lunch in and showed her how to put the ice on the bottom, the sandwich in baggies, then inside the plastic container with the carrots, grapes and chips to keep them dry. (Hey, used to have to take 2-3 days worth of food on the road because you never knew when you were going to get to stop, and you didn't always have time for a sit-down.) So we catch up about the day. She's bone tired and dusty dirty from head to toe. It's comical.

She tells me she was working on rigging the scaffolding with his son and asks him, "So, is your dad really serious about wanting to meet my mom, or is he just looking for a piece of ass?"

OFFS. I just about choke. She's telling me this and I'm dying. The kid is 16. I 'bout smacked her. She said he's cool. Said no, his dad's been talking about settling down, having a life outside work again, blah blah blah. Great.

She talks to the Brickman again about working around her PH schedule, and he asks her for my phone number so he can call me. She tells him no. (Good Gawd, I don't have to play hard to get, SHE'S doing it for me!) LOL. He tells her fine, give me his number and have me call him. He also tells her that if I don't call, it's fine, she still has a job. Good. 'Coz I'd hate to have to go over there and kick his ass.

So I'm trying to decide whether or not to call him last night. Since last week she's been trying to get me to meet him. Says he cleans up very well; she was pleasantly surprised. She tells me he's been nothing but proper and respectful towards her, when most guys aren't. For some insane reason, she actually likes and approves of this man. This is a battle I've been fighting for years. She has been horrid around and to some guys I really liked. She was going to make sure I didn't have anyone while she was growing up. I ask her why now. She tells me, "I'm grown up. It's time for you to start dating." Well, thankyouverymuch for letting me know I can have a life!

Anyway, I'm talking to her about all this. What if we go out and don't like each other? I don't want him to give her grief at the job. She doesn't think he will. And really, so far, everything he's done (or hasn't done) shows that he would be fair. Then I decide to fuck with her.

"Um, here's a thought, Junior. What if we REALLY like each other and go out for months and months?"

"Yea, so?"

"We'd eventually have sex with each other."

Buahahahahahahaha

She throws her hands up over her ears. "OMG! Don't tell me this. I don't want to... *holds hand up at me* Stop! Ugh! *covers eyes* I can't believe you. I don't want to picture my mother having sex."

*giggle* I remind her I've had it at least 3 times. She is unamused. Heh.

So. Here I am. 9:15pm. I have told her that since he asked, she is allowed to give him my number. I'm old fashioned about dating and calling and stuff. Just the way I am. WTF? She calls him! I tell her no, he's probably sleeping. Us old folks who have to be up at 5 in the morning are typically in bed early now. She doesn't care. She says she'll give him my number when he calls her back.

Great. So the ball has started rolling. I realize I have 'Zac, and that things are looking up and I'm being less of a hermit. I don't know if I'm ready to talk to someone again. I don't know if I remember HOW. And here we go again. What if he doesn't like me? What if I don't like him? What if he does make issues for my daughter? What if we actually DO like each other? What if my daughter really likes him and we don't get along and it causes issues for us?

Too much fluff.

Head.
Spinning.
Off.
Shoulders.

OMG - Stop the world; I wanna get off.

to be continued...