15 More Days

Summer.  Summer desperately needs to get here faster.  I have come home from work every day this week completely exhausted.  And it's not from working hard.  I gave quizzes or took kids on a field trip or watched them work independently for most of each day.  But somehow, I still leave school wrecked.  Maybe it's the whining and complaining, the why does so-and-so's class get to go outside and we don't?  Maybe it's the rudeness of specific students during other kids' presentations.  Maybe it's just that I am mentally and physically done with the year, and my energy and patience for children starts dangerously low these days.  Whatever the reason, I remind myself that I have 15 more days with kids and 20 more days before summer officially starts.  I can do it.  (I have no choice.)

It helps that I've started seeing someone new.

So soon? you might ask, worried for my new potential rebound and the heartbreak I'm setting myself up for.  Keep in mind, though, that I had been considering breaking things off with "Jack" for more than a month before it happened, and that when we did finally break up, I was massively RELIEVED.  The point is, even though I've only been single for two weeks now, I've felt single for a while.  I did see his little sister in passing this week and wondered if she knew.  I am worried about the potential shunning I'm going to get from his mother for the rest of my teaching career at my school.  But worried about seeing someone new already?  Not in the least bit.

Our first date was Saturday night, and I was both nervous and less-than-ecstatic going into the date.  After giving me his number and texting me earlier in the week, he'd proceeded to not answer my first text message at all, and then not answer my second message until more than 24 hours later.  I was preparing myself for a flake, and preparing to move on quickly.

But it didn't happen that way.  Saturday night, we walked into a bar at 8:15, ordered drinks, and sat at the same table talking until 1am.  He got up once to get us more drinks.  I didn't stand up from that chair until we were yawning and moving toward the door.

He texted me as soon as he got home.

He texted me the next day.

He texted me the day after that, and we had dinner and ice cream that night.

He texted me after he dropped me off.

He texted me the next day.

He texted me the day after to ask about seeing me yesterday.

We had dinner again last night (sushi), and we might see each other again tomorrow.

It has not been a week since our first date, and I've already seen him more than I saw "Jack" in the entire month of March.  And we have talked about more interesting and personal things in three dates than "Jack" and I probably ever shared during five months of dating.

I know it's not fair to compare romantic interests, but this new guy (we'll call him Brady) feels like an upgrade.  He has similar characteristics to "Jack": slightly taller than me, used to do martial arts, interested in personal training and nutrition, really into music, stuff like that.  But he has a graduate degree.  He runs a business.  He listens.  He's close with his parents.  He's in great shape.  He has a fairly normal schedule.  He eats meat.

Most of all, he has never once called me responsible or balked at the fact that I wake up early and go to bed early.  Because he is also responsible.  Because he also has early days.  Monday night, he dropped me off at my house at 9:30 without fuss or peer pressure because he knew I had to be up early the next day.  It seems dumb, but it meant a lot.  Who knew having your shit together and being considerate was such an attractive trait?

He's confident, too.  I have never met a guy--ever--that called or texted less than three days after the first date.  Ever.  Or that was more vocal or proactive about finding time to hang out.  I admit, it's a little overwhelming to see someone so much after dating mostly losers that don't talk to me for a week at a time.  But I like it.

I don't know if he's a keeper (it feels too early to give such a definite stamp of approval), but at the very least, it gives me something to look forward to when I check my phone during planning or leave school at the end of a too-long work day.  And that, in and of itself, makes the attempt worthwhile.