Proposal

I got into a conversation at a bar tonight at a popular restaurant in town with an 80 plus year old. It was delightful.

We exchanged names. My dinner date was well into conversation with his acquaintance - they had mutual friends. He was a retired lawyer.

Me: "I'm a doctor. We tend to shy away from you guys. I don't recognize your name, but I'll bet we know a lot of people in common."

Him: "What kind of doctor are you?"

Me: "A pathologist."

Him: "Well you deal with dead people. Not much danger from my type there. I know a lot of pathologists, but they are retired."

Me: "I recognize those names, retired or not. I know that group it is a good one. I've got friends there."

Him: "What do you know about the Ebola Virus?"

Me: Dished out everything I read years ago in a historical plague book. Told him all about my job as director of microbiology.

Him: "Are you married?"

Me: "No I'm divorced."

Him: "Good because I just fell in love with you."

Me, laughing: "That's dangerous. I don't live well with anyone but my kids. I get along much better with my ex now that we aren't living in the same house."

Him: "I was married she's passed. I get along better now too."

Me, still laughing: "Now why are you so interested in Ebola?"

Him: "I just follow that on TV."

His acquaintance, having exhausted her conversation with my cousin: "It's time to go. I'm going to get the car."

Him: "Well I'm not leaving I just fell in love."

Me: "And you are telling this to your girlfriend??!!" She was a cutie. She looked twenty years younger than him.

Acquaintance, sarcastically: "I'm not his girlfriend, I'm his mother."

She left to get the car. My cousin and I helped him up - he had canes - and opened the back door of the patio for him. I watched my newfound short-lived and wholly unrealistic but so much temporary fun and flattering relationship walk out the door. I let go. I was excited to catch up with my cousin over dinner.