is it just me?

so that last post reminded me of another story. A while ago a friend of mine and I went out for some drinks. As often happens with us, we ended up sitting at the bar drinking wine for about 5 hours. There was a bartender who had been serving us. He made some good wine suggestions, and was friendly without being annoying. We had gone to a fancy bar where we can't afford the food but at least we can sit at the swank bar and pretend to be rich. So, after way too much wine, we are getting ready to leave. As we're signing the check the bartender leans in very conspiratorially and says "This is the first time I've (blank) since my wife left me."

Okay, that seems important. But neither of us heard what he said. I think we asked him to repeat it, but we still couldn't hear (there was live music) and with something that is clearly a confession, there are only so many times (probably zero) that you can politely say, "huh?" On the way home we're playing a frantic game of MadLibs trying to figure out what he said. We finally decide on "flirted". It has the right number of syllables, it makes sense. I didn't really feel like he was flirting but maybe he's out of practice.

Fast forward a month or so. I'm at a different wine bar with my husband and another couple. The waiter comes out and says to me "You've been here before" which I had not. But then my husband recognizes him from the other place where I had been with my friend (he met up with us towards the end of the evening). Turns out he doesn't work there anymore. He goes off to get us some menus, and when he comes back he says "I remember who you are. In fact, I remember EXACTLY who you are." And I think "Shit, the fact that I don't know what he confessed is actually going to come back to haunt me." So, he waits on us all night, and we don't really talk to him too much. As he brings me the check he leans in and says "I was quite taken with your friend, so if you wanted to tell her I work here I wouldn't mind." I say that I'll tell her, which is true, but what I won't say is that she's married. I mean, I can just tell my friend never to go there, and the guy will never know. I feel bad about it, sure, but hey. It's really not my problem. So I am actually thinking that it's kind of movie-like that he likes this girl and then her friend comes into his new place, but of course in the movies my friend and I would show up the next night and they'd fall in love. Just as I am feeling a touch romantic, the waiter comes back and says "Oh - I was taken with you, too, until he (pointing at my husband) showed up." And now you've ruined it. I don't feel bad that you are taken with my friend and not me. Most guys would be. And we actually look nothing alike, so it is not too likely that you are genuinely taken with both of us. So I called my friend and told her the story and made fun of the guy. the end.