Where Did I Put My Running Shoes?

So about those happy hours……..I was at a great one last week.  Terrific group of people.  Awesome atmosphere.  Great food.  Yummy cocktails.  I had fun talking to everyone and, of course, making sure everyone was having a good time.  Lots of people showed up.  Included one attractive guy that I had met at another happy hour (*sigh*) a month prior.  I watched him walk up to the group, pick out one woman, and proceed to talk to her for the next hour.  After she left, he came over and sat next to me.

I couldn’t help it.  I just had to.  He’s a total ‘fixer-upper’.  An all around great guy, but has some ‘stuff’ going on.  So in true GG form, I proceeded to point out all that is great about him.  He’s smart and funny and successful and handsome.  He’s also a swinger.  Uhm, what?!  I know very little about that lifestyle and honestly don’t understand it.  He’s a very open and honest guy.  He spoke a bit about ‘how it works’ and how I’d be surprised exactly how many people roaming the streets subscribe to that way of life.  I am.

He’s trying to get over a recent break up and going about it by trying to ‘keep occupied’ in said lifestyle.  He realizes that doesn’t really work.  One of the premises is that there are no emotional connections.  Everything is just physical.  Too bad many of the women that he thinks he’s having ‘string free’ sex with secretly want a little more.  Duh.  I proceeded to analyze him and point out some very endearing qualities that he possesses.

The fact that he will stand off to the side of a group of people until he picks out one to concentrate on conversationally.  The fact that he’s not all that comfortable in his own skin.  The fact that he’s a super conversationalist but has a tendency to stick his foot in his mouth.  Any of this sound familiar?  He knows he’s a bit ‘broken’ at the moment and doesn’t want to hurt anyone.  He doesn’t like being alone though.  He uses the swinger lifestyle to not feel lonely.

Pretty sure I could ‘fix’ him.  Pretty sure I could be just what he needs.  Pretty sure I could be the platonic friend that he’s searching for.  Pretty sure I could convince him of all that is wonderful about him.  Pretty sure I’ve gone down this road before.  Pretty sure that although I claimed to have learned my lesson with TD, I am still certain that I could make The Swinger whole again.

I am certain that I can stay platonic.  I’m certain that I wouldn’t fall for him.  I’m certain that he’d eventually fall in love with me.  I’m certain that I’d be the one to say ‘no’.  Know what else I’m certain about?  There’s no way in hell that I’m going down that road again.  Although I think he’s a terrific guy and in the past would have pursued some sort of friendship with my little fixer upper, this time I put on my track shoes and ran the other way! Look at me ……….evolving!!