First Date
Well, we're going to do it again.

Last night was fun, although I had a hard time looking at it as a date. Over the past couple weeks, I guess I've managed to tune out a lot of things from Michelle's body that remind me that it's not mine. It doesn't feel natural, exactly, but I can walk and feel her hip joints moving without thinking "that feels wrong", and ignore that her voice sounds different from mine. So, while we were sitting across from each other in the restaurant, it just sort of felt like we were still two friends hanging out, most of the time.

Except, of course, we weren't. I had to hold back things like saying "remember the time we took Mags and Melissa here?", or acting like I knew too much about him. He was pretty surprised when I disputed his claim that Terminator 3 contradicted the other two, though I was careful not to use the same words I used right after we'd gotten out of the theater. We were able to rattle on about the Sox' (at the time) three game losing streak despite some good trades for most of dinner. Just like we were old friends.

Of course, Kurt never studied me quite like he studied Michelle during dinner. I got the impression he liked what he saw, although he would have liked it more if I'd left Michelle's hair blonde. I told him the truth - that more than the roots had started to show and it just seemed simpler to go with the real color than keep it up. I didn't say that I liked looking in the mirror and seeing something a little different than the woman who had stolen my life, of course, but I did say that changing your hair color can give a girl a new outlook.

It was an awkward moment when it came time to settle the check, though - all the girly stuff had sort of been at the beginning of the dinner, so by the time the waiter came, I started to reach for my wallet. I let him pay, but it was a reminder not only that I'm in a woman's body, but that I was treating this as sort of an obstacle or a task to be done, while for Kurt it was a real date. I hope that however this plays out, he doesn't get hurt.

Then we went to the Somerville Theater to see The Italian Job. It's a second-run theater, but that doesn't mean Kurt's a cheapskate or anything. Here in the Boston area, movies are expensive, and even a second-run theater charges $6.50, even though a similar theater in Kurt's home town is called a "dollar theater". And the main auditorium at Somerville is pretty nice; they hold concerts there.

Of course, Charlie's Angels was playing on the main screen, while The Italian Job was in one of the smaller ones with the aisle up the middle where the best seats would be in a more modern theater. The movie itself wasn't bad (I haven't seen the original), but not so good that Kurt and I didn't keep sneaking glimpses of each other. It was fun to look at Kurt this way - we guys get a certain contented look on our faces when we're just sitting next to a pretty girl, and Kurt hadn't had that look on his face since he and Melissa broke up.

So, after the movie ended, we had that awkward moment where the date is really over, but you've both got to get on the same subway. We seperated at Park Street; he did his little "kissing the girl's hand" thing he does on the first date and we agreed to see each other again.

All in all, not a bad way to spend an evening. (Can't say I minded Kurt paying for it, either, what with Michelle's receptionist salary being somewhat less than what I'm accustomed to) And, if all goes well, maybe next time will be a double-date with Wei and Jimmy - seeing Kurt again kind of reminded me how I haven't seen or heard from Wei in a couple weeks, either.
- posted 1:04 PM - - (archive use only)