The Veteran

Well, The Adult has been out of town for ANOTHER month & may have to move (Yes, this is how my love life goes!), so I decided that I needed something to pass the time.  I started chatting up The Veteran and he very quickly wanted to meet. During our chat he asked if I had ever been married or close to marriage. I answered no & then I had to settle in for the longest text message I have ever seen. He went on for paragraphs about how in 2007 (Yes 10 years ago!) he was almost engaged. It took him 6 years to "emotionally recover fully." In this paragraph I learned that he used to be a pothead, joined the Army, quit being a pothead, cheated with someone near the army base, didn't tell her, got stationed in Korea, had his friends saying that she was cheating on him, was a "cauldron of emotions," he couldn't get over it & blamed himself. I'm telling you, a loooooooooong text. Why would I still agree to meet this dude? Because he said he listened to the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack the other day. I'm a sucker for show tunes! 

We met at a local BBQ joint & I literally only had an hour before I had somewhere else to be. This proved to be good luck! The minute he smiled all I could see were his yellow teeth! He also had a big lumberjack beard that I can only assume he's let grow out to somewhat mask the yellow teeth. He also made me pay for my own food. Now I'm all for eventually paying for my own food or taking turns, but on the first date it kind of annoys me. So I already wasn't really feeling this guy. I was kind of wishing he had a Phantom mask on to halfway hide the beard & teeth. As we are talking, he is somewhat amusing and we share some of the same views on some important topics (i.e. Q39 is highly overrated). He then tells me that he went to a local high school for a year. I ask him what brought him to my side of town & I learn that he was a troubled youth & in foster care. I think this may have been the pothead time, but I am not sure. I then learn that he did some time in jail as well. As much as I believe in rehabilitation, this is too many strikes for me. Luckily, my hour was over & I had to jet out of there! Thank God for small favors. (Oh yeah, he doesn't believe in God!)

Time of death: the second he smiled.