the weekend.

I really look forward to the weekends, although I work Saturdays and Sundays. I guess its a time when most of my friends are off and going to bars and clubs is a bit more appealing because of the large numbers of people going out. Its also nice to get caught up on homework and have a few days where I don't have to worry about waking up early and getting downtown to catch a class.

This past Saturday was Sweetest Day. As my friend Jason put it on Judge Judy, its "an Ohio-Michigan-Indiana Hallmark holiday." Judge Judy, of course, rolled her eyes at him and had no clue what he was talking about, being a New Yorker/Californian.

Friday night, my man came over after work to hang out. Friday has been our time to go meet up with people at the bars and have a good time, usually getting wasted in the process. He showed his age a bit when he brought over a 12-pack of beer and wanted me to "shotgun" one. I never did that before. I'm interested in getting a buzz, but not at the rate at which you may obtain one by shotgunning beers. He took me outside my apartment and punched holes in the bottom of 2 beer cans and handed mine to me. "Just open your throat and let it go down." I laughed and said I had no problem with that. Oh man that's so bad. I did it, gagged a bit in the process, but was fine.

He also brought me a half dozen cupcakes, some banana nut bread, and a big bag of candy bars. I forgot that the next day was Sweetest Day and wasn't really making any connection. I had told him a day earlier that I found a little present for him... Obama air fresheners that I bought for my car and for his too. Just a stupid little thing for election time. We ended up meeting some of his friends out, one who knows he's gay and one who doesn't. They came to the gay bar to meet up with us and of course, they're young as well. One isn't even old enough to drink. That's fine though. I did feel like an outcast for the rest of the night, I guess I just don't make enough of an effort to get to know people. I prefer others to make the first move, especially when the people have some sort of relationship with the person I'm dating. That's something I realized Friday that I need to work on. But I got a little pissy, of course, and did my own thing at the bar. Rather than making a good effort to carry a conversation with his friends, I clammed up in my own little bubble and felt wounded that his friends weren't generously offering up conversation to me.

So we ended up walking home from the bar at the end of the night, and since I was drunk, I put my feelings about it all out there for him. We didn't fight, I just talk too much when I drink and get a bit too deep. But he and I always seem to have a really good dialogue and even if one of us seems a little upset about whatever (and its always outside sources causing us problems), we talk about it, then laugh, and get over it. I never dated anyone where communication was so simple, so easily resolved.

We ended up passing out and woke up early the next morning. He asked me what day it was. "Saturday?" He responded that yes, it was indeed Saturday. But did I remember what day it was really? And then the Sweetest Day thing hit me. I made the candy and cupcake connection immediately. We talked for a couple hours and then grabbed some Starbucks. Of course, it always has to end abruptly for us as we both work all day on Saturdays. I walked him to his car, actually kissed him out in the street and he didn't get weirded out. Things seem to be going really really well.

Toward the end of my shift, "A" told me via text he had something for me and he had driven to my apartment while I was at work so he could try to break into my floor and leave it for me at my door. I told him he could wait until next time we got together. He wanted to drive to my work and leave it in my Jeep. I said I was leaving soon so it would probably be pointless. He seemed a little sad. I went home, ready to get out, and he really acted like he wished he was going out with me.

His mom was kind of bugging him about going out all night since he had to work early this morning. I knew this and was fine with it, until I got home and changed to go out with friends and every single person I know blew me off. You know, I'm pretty exhausted too. But I still have to get out of my world every weekend and just have a bit of fun. Even if its just for a couple hours. I had been texting my man and told him I was kind of upset. He said he'd meet me halfway between where we both live and we could grab a couple drinks.

We went to a couple totally dirty dive bars somewhere in Cleveland. There were fights, the drinks were dirt cheap, there were loud bands, and it was actually a fun time. It felt really good to be around him. I'm getting hooked, for sure. I know he is too, or else he wouldn't be around this much. I feel so comfortable around him, and I loved being at a straight bar without the worries of people interfering or causing problems. It was probably one of the best nights I've had with him so far.

We stayed at the bars way too late. I remembered that he had something for me, so I questioned him. "What was it you were bringing me earlier?" He walked me outside and popped the trunk of his car. My heart completely skipped a beat. There was a giant bouquet of roses laying there. I never had anyone do this for me, and I'm not that girly, but... this triggered something inside me. I was almost at a loss for words, and I felt so happy.

The whole way home, I couldn't stop smiling. I even felt a wee bit of moisture in my ocular areas. Hm. I'm smitten.