On Fall Dates

I have always imagined that fall dates were more romantic and meaningful. Perhaps it is the cold weather that brings people together; over warm heating, dim lighting and a mug of hot tea or a good pint of beer. No matter what the occasion, a fall gathering always seemed more intimate to me. So when it comes to dates with that special person you have been admiring from a distance, these fall dates are enchanting.

My first fall date occurred last night. It was a painful process to arrange it but in the end, it paid off. It wasn't really that romantic. In fact, he made no reservations, we had no back-up plans and were limited to our neighbourhood. But despite those limitations, it was a night I would not forget...not for a long time.

We met outside an old pub and began making small talk. Scratching original plans, we ended up hopping into a cab to take us to a cozy neighbourhood bar. We sat huddled on this small loveseat, under very dim red lighting and unidentifiable background noises filled the room. It was perfect. With his leg crossed over his other leg, his knee leaned on my thigh. We casually touched each other's arm mid-conversation and a lot of laughter. I was starting to ease up and relax. And then, we got the news that a few people would be coming to the bar; people who would cause some drama so he paid the tab and off we went.

Again, with no plans, we headed to another pub. It was nearly deserted, with only a regular at the bar and a couple in the other corner of the room. It was perfect. We argued over who would pay for the bill; we laid things out on the table and talked openly and honestly. It all went--unexpectedly--well.

But the most memorable and most simple part about the night was walking home. While walking home, he made a subtle move of holding his hand out and without any hesitation, I put my hand in his. And that was how he walked me home.