credit card bills. They were all maxed out. He was paying minimum on them. I didn’t want to say anything to him since I didn’t want him to think I was prying into his private affairs. He took me to this fancy restaurant. It made me really nervous. I didn’t want him buying me an expensive dinner when he was so deep in debt. But then again, what could I say? I ordered an appetizer and told him I wasn’t that hungry.”
I nod, thinking how awkward that would be. Jennifer continues, “When he pulled out another credit card, I couldn’t hold it in any longer. He got all annoyed at me. Hita, I know it’s his business, but I didn’t feel right spending all that money on dinner when he should be using it to pay down his debt. That guy has a real shopping problem. I swear he has more shoes than Olivia.”
Knowing Olivia’s extensive closet, I start laughing.
“It’s not funny. The next day he was pulling tags off a new shirt. I told him he had plenty of clothes and would be much better off if he practiced some impulse control.”
“And how’d he react to that?” I tentatively ask.
“Yeah, we had big a fight. He called me a nag. Said he had one mom, and he didn’t need another.” She has a scowl on her face as she continues, “We haven’t spoken since.”
“That’s what Anil did. Once the going got rough he dropped me. No goodbye, no closure, he drank all my beer and took off. At least you ended it on a fight.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t call that closure. Anyway, it started off so well. He has a great job and always dressed so nice.”
“Actually, I thought he looked kind of gay.”
“Really?” she says. “But I like my men well-manicured, professional. Lawyers and bankers have this great energy, they’re so confident and in control. Anyway, he definitely wasn’t gay, if you know what I mean.”
I nod as an answer. “Was it easier in college?” I wishfully ask.
“I think we were all together, so it was more fun.”
“No, guys. Was it easier to find them in college?”
Jennifer snorts. “Find them maybe, but date them…remember Tristan Hall?”
I laugh as she wistfully says, “Man I had such a crush on that guy.”
“What ever happened with him?”
She shrugs as a wistful look passes over her face. “He’s my dream guy. In college I never had a chance, he had that girlfriend.”
“Oh yeah, the queen mean girl on campus, Kate somebody.”
“He’s my guy that got away. If I could do college over I’d have hooked up with him.”
“Really?”
She shrugs again. “I’d love to have him as my boyfriend. But if we had hooked up, at least I’d have something more than a fantasy to remember him by. If I ever run into that man again I’m going to date him. If I’m married, he’ll be my one exception.”
“Tristan Hall?”
“Oh, yeah. That man is beautiful. He’s my idea of the perfect man.” She then lands her eyes at me. Do you have an exception? Even if you’re married. The one guy you could sleep with.”
“Right now it’s been so long I think almost any guy would be my exception.”
“No really, who would you never turn down?”
I think about this for a bit before answering. “I guess it would be the Doctor.”
“Doctor who?”
“Exactly, though I’m not sure if it’s the tenth doctor, David Tennant, or the eleventh doctor, Matt Smith. Maybe Sherlock, you know Benedict Cumberbatch.”
“Really? I didn’t realize you had a thing for British guys. Too bad Anil didn’t work out.”
“I think it’s more a thing for British shows and Anil was devoid of humor, that’s why he didn’t work out.”
“What is it with us? Why can’t we find good guys now?”
“Is it that the good guys our age haven’t matured, or are we considering the wrong type of guys good?” I reflect.
***
A week later as I walk to the cafeteria with Juliette, she tells me, “Did you hear the latest? Jennifer’s dating this tatted up wild friend of Kelly’s.”
She then starts ruminating about the two great guys she’s dating, while I’m thinking that Jennifer followed through on my off the cuff comment. Finally pulling my head back into Juliette’s conversation, I listen to her get all twisted up about which great guy she should choose. Yeah, like the biggest problem out there is deciding which great guy to date.
Even Kelly, who’s heading off to Brazil in a couple of weeks, has landed a