The Week of the Gipper

The Gipper has me so confused. Of course it could be because he's got himself so confused as well. I was talking to Eye Doc about it last night, and she did her best to set me straight, she really did, starting with "Get that book, He's Just Not That In To You" and ending with "Keep your eye on the prize which for all intents and purposes right now is not him." Might be, could be, possibly, but definitely down the road. Wish I could convince myself of that.

See I've been spending a lot of time with him lately, at his suggestions (I'm trying really hard not to come on too strong for fear of running him off all together). And I'm loving all the time with him, but it's making me a bit crazy, too. This past week alone I spent five days with him. Not all day, well except for last Sunday, but at least a date (sort of).

Let's start last Sunday, the Sukkah Hop, where my Arbel friend had her sukkah as part of the Old City Sukkah Open House through the Kehilla. I was driving myself the Gipper and the Russian, and we were meeting a bunch of friends in town for brunch and then sukkah wandering. There was even someone who came from Delaware! This was a group outing that I had organized, so no pressure there. The Russian used us as her ride to town and then promptly dumped us for a date (nice). Of course she tried calling us when the date was over to get a ride back to Jersey. We mysteriously didn't hear any one's phone ringing. Brunch took a long time, the service was really slow, but the food was good and I might be willing to give it another shot. Then we spent the afternoon strolling down Lombard visiting with my friend and others in their sukkahs. We had some great conversations. The Gipper really hit it off with Arbel Gal, and we got to meet her cat! Then we sauntered over to the next one where we all got to "hold an etrog in the air and shake a lulav like we just don't care!" I think that's my favorite quote of the season so far. It was a perfect day, relaxing, nice weather, good company. I had fun.

The next day, Monday, I had planned to go to another Sukkot event sponsored by the Chevra, I had even told my knitting friend I'd be there/go with her, and Boobs that I'd go with her as well. When I woke up that morning it was cold and raining and was supposed to keep raining all day, and the event was up in Merion. So I called the girls told them I wasn't going and just went to work in jeans. Then the Gipper sent me an email later in the day asking if you had to belong to go to the event on Tuesday and if I was planning to go. I told him I hadn't been but since I decided not to go to the Monday event, I might be up for the Tuesday event. He called me, and the next thing I know I'm agreeing to go with him not only to Monday's event but Tuesdays as well. Not sure how he did that (yeah, I know, it wasn't that hard.)

Monday's event, "Mi casa Sukkah-sa" was really very nice, and much more my speed. Diverse crowd, not just all the usual 20-something teeny-boppers. My knitting friend was there and surprised to see me. I saw some people I had seen before but hadn't really gotten to know, and some new people as well. The Gipper was fine leaving early, he was a t Tuesday night's event too. He really is very sweet. The food spread was impressive, but the house and kitchen (remember this is in Merion) gorgeous. There was a butlers pantry leading from the dining room to the kitchen where all the Pesach dishes were (along with a full size sink, stove, and dishwasher. The kitchen itself was so huge that there was a gigantic long island running down the middle of the room with wooded back splash-style divider down the middle of the island. And then one side was milchig, and on the other fleichig, both with complete stove, sinks, dishwashers. I think there might have even been two fridges, but I don't remember exactly.  

Tuesday's event was at Penn's Hillel in their sukkah. It was run by the Grad Student Network. I met some nice people, although I need a better system to try and remember all of them. I spoke with a friend who said there's a guy she wants me to meet. The funniest moment was when Gipper was talking with the couple who organizes the BZBI potluck that happens once a month on a Friday. I had already invited him to this, so when they asked him if was interested in their event he told them he couldn't go cause he was already going somewhere with me. That's when I came over and we realized it was all the same event. How funny! He got a kick out of it too, he was chuckling over it the entire ride home. However, right after this he introduced me to a guy he was talking to. The guy seemed nice enough, but not necessarily anyone I'd be interested in. Actually, He reminded me quite a bit of Mr. Scorpio. So we were talking for maybe 3 minutes, and Gipper comes over and says that it's getting late  and he's getting ready to go, but we should exchange phone numbers. Not quietly, not whispered in my ear or something, oh no, he just came back the conversation and announced "exchange phone numbers". What?! I was still trying to decide if i even wanted this guy's phone number. Don't worry, I let him have it in the car. He promised never to do that again. Although, it was interesting, he was all for the guy he had picked out for me, but when I mentioned to him that the reason I had been invited to the potluck on Friday in the first place was so that my friend could introduce me to someone, he got curiously quiet. Hmmm, interesting, no?

Thursday was Simchat Torah. It was pouring out and I stayed home. I had to cook for the potluck anyway. From everyone's facebook posts, though it sounded like it was a rollicking frolicking good time (probably even more so because of the rain). Oh well, next year!

Friday was the potluck. Which I inadvertently invited the guy from the Tuesday night party to. I thought I was just being friendly "see you at an event sometime, oh by the way there's one this Friday night." Hmm, ok so maybe I overplayed that one. He came, although grudgingly so. It took me three-four emails telling him it was ok if he didn't come, but he must have mistook them for convincing emails. So he came. Definitely, another Mr Scorpio. Definitely, "A project" as Boobs calls these men I seem to find who need lots and lots of moral support. But the rest of the night was very nice. Ren Boy brought a date, and then skipped out early to go to another party. Typical Ren Boy style. What on earth did I ever see in him? The Gipper and I sat at a table with a more mature crowd. There was a married couple, my friend who wanted to introduce me to someone, her boyfriend and sister, and some others in the older thirties crowd. Much more my speed, so the night was full of good conversation. It was buffet, so everyone kept getting up to get food but stopping to chat along the way. Afterwards Gipper and I went for a stroll through the city, ending up in Rittenhouse where we sat and talked for awhile. How is it that I never tire of talking with him? conversations with him are always interesting, informative, thoughtful. And fun! We spent the entire ride home singing along to Beatles songs from his ipod. Or maybe iphone? He has too many gadgets for me to keep track of. Somehow, I think that's part of his charm.

The week ended on Sunday when we were all supposed to go meet for brunch, well the Jersey crew anyways, I even got my Bro to come along. I we were supposed  to pick up the Russian, but when we go there, she said she thought she'd take her own car. She didn't bother to tell me this earlier so I wouldn't have to make the special run just for her, not even when I called her 20 minutes before I got there to make sure the plan was still good. So when she tried to start her car it wouldn't turn over. And she's so young (for 27 anyway) that she gets hysterical the way a teenager would. Thankfully her sister and brother in law were still there to jump the car. They thought it would be fine. But then when were were about 5 minutes down the road, it stalled again. we tried jumping it, but couldn't get it to turn over, so her sister and brother in law had to come and get it going. They took the car home and we went to brunch, but through all of this Gipper and a friend of everyone's who I've been wanting to meet were waiting for us. when the car stalled a second time, I called him and told him to eat without us. When we finally got there, he and the friend had gone to a different restaurant that he likes better. Everything went fine from that point on, but everyone seemed a little out of sorts. Even Kevin a bit. Unless the fact that I'm all hormonal this week made me see things that weren't there.

I didn't hear from him the rest of that day. There was no happy fb note, email, text the next morning, which he had started doing. And then that night, I accidentally called him while I was playing around on my phone. I immediately hung up hoping it wouldn't go through to his phone, but it must have cause he called me right back. I told him it was just an accident. We talked for a minute or two and then he said he had to go, even though he wasn't out doing anything that night. Also, all weekend he didn't call me which I thought was odd, but when I got into the office I found that he had called my office on Sat & Sun, but left no message. Did he think that I was trying to avoid him? Or maybe he just needs space. I'm so confused, does he like me or no? I know there's definitely a bond, that's definitely growing. He's insisting it's just friendship, but if those are the only signals he's sending out then I wouldn't be picking up any romantic ones, right? And yet I feel that I am. HE also said on Sunday, that his date Sat night (number four) went really well, but when I talked with him Monday, he said he wasn't sure if he wanted to take it any farther. I hate this sitting and waiting thing, but if he really does want me, (and I'm pretty sure that deep down he does) I guess I'll just have to let him get comfortable with that at his own pace. In the meantime, I'm on the hunt for someone equally as good. Hope he's out there! Or do I?