Perhaps I throw the word “perfect” around too carelessly…like love. But this date really came close, and I can’t think of a more perfect word to describe it.
There were many ideal attributes about this date. First, scheduling was simple despite the fact it involved eight people. Second, I got to include my children and was even allowed to talk about them incessantly without rebuke, so I didn’t have to pretend they weren’t a very important part of my life that didn’t exist. The food was delicious, cheap and easy. The six Mini-Dates got along fabulously, as far as blind dating goes. They frolicked like they’d been together for years.
But by far the best part of all was that Big Pizza Date helped, a lot! I never even had to provide Big Pizza Date with the usual step-by-step detailed instructions. Big Pizza Date ordered food, helped set the table, knew intuitively where things like napkins were kept, knew enough to serve the Mini-Dates and cut their food first before sitting down and chowing down…overall a most impressive and unexpectedly delightful display of knowledge, motivation and performance.
Big Pizza Date had even had the foresight to suggest we eat our healthy fare alone, together (we forgot about by candlelight) before the Mini-Dates caught wind of the food festivities. However, when the Mini-Dates realized the opportunity to feed was at hand, Big Pizza Date quickly adapted to the new scenario of eight happy chewers. House rules and house wine both went down smoothly.
To extend the date into the evening, as we all hope to do with the good ones, we set the Mini-Dates to work making ice cream, a 30-minute task involving keeping an ice-cream ball rolling around on the trampoline. Thus the Minis were both busily occupied and netted in an enclosed area, out of harm’s way. The ice cream was utterly delish and the Minis could also therefore declare a successful evening.
Although conversations with Big Pizza Date were choppy and several left unfinished (I think the KKK story lasted over 45 minutes, delivered in 20 separate 5 second intervals), overall a feeling of mutual satisfaction still remained.
All in all a lovely evening that could have ended cuddling in bed…except this date was a woman.
Now I know why it was so perfect. I wanna marry a momma.