My Date with the Axe Murderer

Dont worry, I'm alive and unharmed.  And laughing at myself.
There's that scary aspect about online dating, and meeting someone that you emailed, in a public place of course.  What if he's an axe murderer?????
Yesterday afternoon I had a coffee date.  The night before we were chatting online.  We both admitted to the other that we had "internet snooped".  You know, googled each other.  I mentioned that I had found him on FB, and he asked, "Oh, do you want me to add you as a friend?".  No!  I said!  I still don't know if you are an axe murderer or not!  Let's meet first.  (I didn't want him to know too much about me.  He could figure out where I live......)
Our emails etc. had gone pretty well.  He seemed nice and friendly.  Well spoken, educated, intelligent, interested in travel and books.  He's recovering from a pretty bad accident last year, and I wasn't sure if he would be meek and sickly in person, or outgoing with a new chance at life.
Walking up to the Cafe, he's inside, sees me and waves.  Walks over to greet me.  I don't know what to make of my first impression of him, really nice eyes, friendly way about him, but scary big.  He's a bear.  You know the type - stocky build.  Not overweight neccesarily, but....big.  Forearms bigger that my thighs type of big.  Not unattrractive...but...
We sit and have our awkward iced tea and conversation.  He's dressed nice, preppy (button down polo, khaki cargo shorts, floppy sandals).  Has his shaggy longish hair held back by a wire/comb headband type thing (underneath his sunglasses, a little bit hippy).  Finished the tea.  "Wanna go for a drive?" he asks.  Whoa...mister....I remind him that he hasn't been cleared of the possible axe murder status.  We laugh, he promises me he has no axes in his car.  Or a tire iron (yes, I asked.  He admitted to having a screw gun in the trunk).  "It's a nice day for a drive into the country" he says.  How about we go for a walk instead, I tell him.  Ok, so maybe a drive through the sunny countryside could make a sweet first date.  Seems like something the gentile would do.  I had a bit of a theory that he came from money.  But then I pictured him dumping me out of his car on a country road in the middle of no where.  Or carrying me off into the woods caveman style.
We leave the Cafe, his car is outfront.  It's a fancy white BMW with tinted windows, and Massachusetts plates.  Drug dealer!  I thought.  Now, he was interested in my store, wanted to see my creations.  So I took him over there.  I feel pretty safe in my store.  I've got that panic button on my alarm panel.  We chat some, still awkward, nervous.  He tells me more about his accident (motorcycle vs. suv).  The crash did him quite a bit of damage (outwardly you can only see the limp, and some scars).  The force of the impact pushed his heart over 1.5 inches to the left.  (I know this isn't funny, but "his heart is in the wrong place".)  He's fascinated with my wirework, with the gems. "Where do you keep all the expensive gems?" he asked.
I'm tired, hungry.  I tell him I should get home.  "Do you want to get something to eat?" he asks.  No, thank you.  I let him walk me to my car.  He says he wants to take me to a movie.  I tell him we'll chat soon.  I can tell he doesn't want the date to end...lingering....I tell him a hug would be okay.  He was a tad touchy feely with that hug.

I had a tentative phone date for afterwards with "flutter guy".  Which I chickened out of, by the way.

I had a quick chat with Mr. Axe after being home for a bit.  He asked if he dispelled my axe murderer concerns.  I told him that he had, but that I had another theory:  Bead Theif!
He explained the Mass plates.  House in The Berkshires....

Working on Myself, and Holy Heck, Hello Future?

Written Thursday night:
I finally got together with Mr. 6:00 (last weekend) after a three week hiatus, to give him back his things. He was shocked, didn't realize we were over (HELLO....I never told him I missed him, or was looking forward to seeing him, and we barely emailed each other a few lines over THREE WEEKS). He came over, made me blush and laugh, and second guess myself, then told me it was time for me to submit my application for the nunnery. Go to hell Mr. 6:00! Actually, I wish him luck. Maybe some other gal will have more patience in training him than I had.

Tuesday night I was out at a downtown business association reception thingy. I was hesitant going solo, not sure if I could brave it, but I'm glad I did. Coctails and tapas and name tags. There weren't many people there with their spouses. I chatted some. Dispelled a theory from a prominent business man in the association that NO, I am not approaching my mid twenties, more like mid-thirties. His was impressed. Yeah, I look young. And I got a few minutes to chat with the owner of the Cafe, told her it was a great place to meet first dates. Turns out she's a solo woman as well. She said she'd give me a thumbs up or down if she saw me with a date.

So last night (wednesday now) I was determined to get back on my track of being good to myself. Of getting healthy. Trying to excercise in the mornings, eating right, and being okay with being alone. I was Feeling Good. Maybe because I'm looking forward to meeting a great (?) guy.  I've been more active on the dating site, and have been emailing with one guy who seems really nice.  The emails have all been good, no red flags, but a couple of "hmmm"s, and he asked me out for coffee!  We set a date for coffee this Sunday afternoon at my favorite Cafe.  Yay!

Then today happens.  I had one of those moments that should only happen in movies.  I had a chat on FB with an old friend from my college days, not a close friend, but a guy who I sorta knew and had a HUGE crush on.  I was 18/19 when I would have met him?  I remember one night after hanging out with friends til the early morning, he walked me back to my dorm, perfect gentleman, to make sure I got there safely, then he walked all the way back.  Whenever he was around, he would give me the best hugs in the world.  He was so cool and so nice and way too amazing for me.  Like a celebrity crush.  So he stuck in my memory all these years.  That random and brave chat today brought out that he had felt the same about me way back then (I was too cool for him??  How the heck??).  Holy hell?  Really?  He said some things that got me all fluttery.  He admired me, was inspired by me, told me I was beautiful...  I was distracted and flushed all day.  I just wanted him to toss me over his shoulder and carry me away, or maybe show up on a white horse.  He said some things that kind of blew me away...I honestly contemplated breaking my coffee date this Sunday so I could meet up with him...but I didn't, err, haven't yet.

Hello Future.  What do you bring?  And what other surprises might you have in store for me?

Que up Van Halen's "Right Now".  I was listening to it at some point while writing this, and it just seemed to fit.  Here's a link:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyGzPmgR1QY