I met a nice lady

After almost two and a half years, I think I'm ready for another relationship.

There is a nice little lady - she makes me feel tall, and I'm only 5'6" - who comes into my store around midnight every other Thursday. That's when her paycheck hits the bank, so she comes into get cash from the ATM and do a little shopping.

The first time I saw her I thought she was simply adorable. Over the months we have chatted at the cash register and she has really grown on me. About 5 years my junior, she works as a med tech in the next county, on the second shift, so we both have odd sleep schedules.

A couple of weeks ago I found her on Facebook and send a friend request, after which I avoided Facebook until she came into the store five days later and told me that she had accepted it. I reacted with surprise and joy; she said, "you didn't see it?" and I responded, "I've been scared to look!" She gave a funny laugh that made me think that she might be interested in me too.

Last week she came in and said that her schedule had changed and she would have the next five days off from work. "Any plans?" I asked, and she said no. "Hit me up on Facebook," she said with a smile as she went out the door.

And so I did.

After a couple of Facebook messages, I gave her my phone number so we could be in better contact.

Yesterday we spent the afternoon together at a park in Waynesville. Her son, in his early 20's I suppose, goes there because there is a skate park next door but she has to drive him. I brought Rocko and we just hung out by the creek and talked until dusk. Rocko was, as usual, the best dog in the world, even with all the people going past on the walking trail with their own dogs.

Annette (my new lady friend) had a leaky tire on her car, which we noticed had lost a lot of air while we were talking. I asked if she had a spare, and she said "I sure hope so!" Her car is a Saturn Vue, and the spare is hidden under a couple of panels in the trunk area. I had to dig out the owner's manual to figure out how to liberate it, but we got it out and I changed her tire.

I have to work a bit to avoid comparing Annette to Lisa, at least in her presence, as a gesture of respect, but I can't help seeing parallels and contrasts.

Lisa and I also met in a park for our first date. Both Lisa and Annette are intelligent women (although I'd be unlikely to be with an unintelligent woman). Lisa was the tallest girl in Haywood County, whereas Annette is one of the shortest.

And now I'm done comparing and contrasting.

I hope that this new relationship goes beyond friendship, but I don't want to be pushy. Speaking of pushy, Rocko is telling me that we need to go outside for a while. Always trust the dog, I say.