The Jon and Carrie Love Story, part 10

I was very picky when it came to boys. I'm not sure why, but instilled in my very core was a filter of sorts that kept most boys at bay. They had to pass a rigorous test of 1. intelligence, 2. spiritually, and of course, 3. chemistry before I would allow multiple dates and any sort of touching. During my life, very few had passed all three (see part 6 of this story, where I reveal never having had a boyfriend). I suppose that is why I had just turned 25 in December 2003 and was still single. To be 25 in Mormon terms was like being at least 31 in "rest of the world age" when it came to marriage.

I had tried to tell myself, "don't be so picky, don't be so picky" but it didn't really work. But I did decide to give more guys a first date chance in order to prove themselves otherwise. And I had decided, through Tori's help, to spend more time primping and making myself look good. I dressed up more, actually did my makeup (Extremely surprising if you know me then and now. Obviously it was a short run.), and I actually tried to flirt more (Ummm yeah. Also not me. But I figured what the hey).

It had worked. I was getting more dates. But whether these changes worked on Jon, I guess I'll never know. I like to think he saw me for my inner beauty and blah blah blah. I asked him once why it took him so long to ask me out the first time.

"I was intimidated!" was his reply.

Fair enough. Yes, I was intimidating. It was all part of my plan. My plan to filter boys.

One night, after Institute class, Jon crossed the great divide and surprised me. He caught up with me right outside, and we were talking about something. He asked me out for that weekend.

"Sure!"

Why not? He was nice enough. He had been there for my friend Tori, after all. Oh wait, he had driven like a maniac on the snowmobile (in part 9). Crap.

Just like when you imagine meeting "the one" and how it will be all magical and amazing, the first date is the same way. Every girl dreams of the incredible first date, where you fall even more madly in love, he pulls out your chair and can anticipate your every move, he is a complete gentleman and the whole night is a completely romantic event.

Ha. Hahaha. *cough* Hahahahahahaha.

First of all, Jon was late picking me up.

Second of all, his hand didn't touch a door, or a chair, or anything that would indicate he was a gentleman trying to impress me.

We arrived at his friend's apartment, and we were to have a triple date. Oddly enough, the other two couples (one of the girls was his cousin Teresa, a girl he was with when Jon and I first met over a year prior in part 4) were already engaged. Lovely. I just loved hanging out with engaged couples.

The date was this: each couple had a $3 spending limit. We were all to head to the grocery store and pick out our assigned course, be it appetizers, main dish, or dessert, to feed everyone. Jon and I had dessert.

I remember walking in the store with Jon, feeling more like he was a brother-type than a date. We joked around, he acted goofy, and I bossed him around without flinching. It was nice to feel completely and utterly comfortable with someone.

"Oooooo I have an idea!" I think Jon came up with it.

We decided to be cool and buy two different flavors of pudding so we could layer them in a glass and it would look so cool. We were both really excited about it. We bought the stuff and headed back to his friend's apartment.

The other couples were making crescent rolls and *gulp* tuna helper. What a lovely dinner! Well, they were having fun. And surprisingly, we were having fun. Jon and I both got really into it, worked well together in the kitchen, and were proud of our creation. Actually, it was a little scary how well we worked together. And it was scary how excited we were of layered pudding, of all things.

After eating, we gathered in the living room to watch The RM, one of those cheesey Mormon-y movies. I thought it was pretty funny. I don't know if Jon thought so, because after a few minutes.....

"Zzzzzzzz."

Jon was snoring. Loudly. Practically in my ear.

"WAKE UP!"

I must have shoved him three or four times. I thought it was rude to snore loudly during a movie (on a date no less) so I let him know.

Another revelation: I was usually so nervous on dates. Especially when I liked the guy, I would stumble over words, I held a lot of words in for fear of saying something dumb, and I just felt unnatural or not fully myself.

Not with Jon. I didn't like him, he had already proved himself to be fun-loving and crazy, so I felt completely validated telling him exactly what was on my mind.

"Quit snoring!!!"

He drove me home. He didn't drive too fast. But he did whip out his cell phone and call one of the girls that was in his crew of loud, preppy friends.

"What are you guys doing tonight?"

Oh no you didn't. What? You're calling a girl while driving a date home? Wow. This guy had no idea how to treat a girl on a date.

And with that, he stopped at the curb, we said goodbye, and I let myself out. I walked myself to my own door, and my roommate (Oh! I had just moved. And got a roommate. It was June, the girl who had the bright red high heels that Jon had tried on in part 7) asked how my date went.

"Uhh. I dunno. I had fun. But he is not a gentleman."

I never thought we'd ever go on a date again. Ever ever. >>Continue to Part 11