OK. I’ll admit that “horrible date” is my description. It was actually a great date interspersed with some unfortunate happenings that was more an embarrassment to me than anything else. So, have a seat, and see what you think.
Last week, instead of going out to KOBE Japanese Steak House, I took Diann to The Cotton Club up in Granger, where we had an incredible time. So this week, I was taking Diann to KOBE. I go to pick her up and she is just gorgeous! I’m thinking, “This is going to be a great night!” It sure started off that way.
We get to KOBE and, darn the luck, we have to go to the bar and have a glass of excellent wine while we wait for a table to be readied. And you know how much I hate being stuck with a beautiful, intelligent lady.
Anyway, dinner was awesome. Our Japanese chef, Juan, put on a pretty darn good show. The food was excellent. Diann had Tilapia and I had the Rib eye. Both were cooked to perfection. So after dinner we’re feeling excellent as we head out to the car. We decided to go to Cool River where there is a fun band playing 70′s/80′s music.
I started the car and got distracted for just a second and it shut itself off. Hmmm? Now it won’t start at all. Cussword! Well I get a jump from the guy parked in front of me. I know what’s wrong. It’s the battery cable again. We head to Diann’s house to swap cars. When we get to her house, she asks me if I want to fix my car since I know what’s wrong. I say yes and get to fixing it while she goes inside.
Sure enough, the cable has a bad case of corrosion. It takes about 20 minutes to clean the cables and reconnect them. I go inside and wash up and we’re ready to go!!
We jump in the car and head off to Cool River. I order a Glen Fiddich 12 Yr Old for me and a Maker’s Mark and Water for Diann. Nice place, pretty lady, good music, good drink. Ahhhh. Life is great!
……………UNTIL!!!
When we decide to leave and head out to the car, I notice that the remote unlock isn’t working. No beep. No flashing lights. Not unlocking. Damn.
Yep. Battery is completely D-E-A-D! I somehow left the headlights on and the battery is DOA. I’m not happy and I’m dreading what Diann is thinking. She notices someone leaving and suggests I get them to give us a jump. I flag him down and he’s agreeable since I have cables. He’s having a difficult time getting his hood up. I don’t think he gets under it too often. We get hooked up and my car starts right up, but he disconnects the cables too soon and the car dies. Now the battery is so drained that it needs to charge up for a while. Well this guy has his wife/girlfriend in the truck, so I thank him and send him on his way. I mean, there’s no reason getting him in Dutch with her.
My brother lives not too far away, so I call him. He gives me the obligatory grief, but says he’ll come give me a jump. In the meantime, Diann and I are pretty much just relaxing. Well, I am. She seems to be, but I know this isn’t what she wants to be doing.
My brother finally arrives and he has my 2 oldest nephews in tow. This could be a good thing, or this could be a torturous thing! You see, they have the same sense of humor as the rest of the Robertson’s do!
Well, after some good natured ribbing, we get the car running. I thank them, tell them I’m good and I head out. I get about half way out the parking lot!! DAMN!!! Fortunately, Duncan was still there and we did the jumpstart again. This time I kept my foot on the gas. Duncan said he’d follow me. Diann is being great about all this as I’m apologizing to her for the situation. She just says she hates car problems and quite understands.
So I let the car charge for a few moments, then I headed off. As I come to each stop or turn, I put the car in neutral and keep the engine revving so it doesn’t die. No, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to do this!!! LOL But it has been a long time.
As we’re getting close to Diann’s house, I tell her, “I guess you realize I won’t be walking you to the door?” She laughs and says, “Yeah. I was thinking I may have to just jump out as we get close.” Whew! She sees some humor in all this! I pull up to her house, staying in the street, to let her out. We say a quick goodnight and I wait for her as she goes inside. As I figured, the drive from Cool River to her house is enough of a charge to my battery that I’m good now.
Duncan pulls up next to me and David pipes up, “Hey, Uncle Eric. A gentleman always walks his date to the door!” Gotta love him!
Duncan suggests he follow me home. I tell him I’m fine now. I can make it home ok. He says he’d rather follow me home than go home only to be called back out by me should the car die again. I tell him, “Ok.” I can drive normally by now and head home. When I get home, I shut the car off and test it. It starts fine. Several times. I thank Duncan and the boys and head inside.
As embarrassing as I thought the night could’ve been, I was even more impressed by how Diann was so great through it all. I sent her a text thanking her for being so awesome through it all, and she just wanted me to let her know when I got home safe. I really got to see a great side of Diann that night. (Haven’t seen a bad side, yet!)
So as the title suggests: A horrible date can be a great thing!!
