My Very Worst Rejection
MVWD didn’t even get to the D part.
Luke and I worked in the university’s catering service as bartenders. Back then, I wanted to “take the initiative” and not wait around for a guy to ask me out. He’d broken up with his girlfriend about four months before, so I figured why not?
I called Luke, and we talked for over an hour. During that call, I told him I really liked him. He seemed pleased, but now that I think about it who knows. I asked Luke to a late movie and then dinner. He said yes.
The next day at work, we were setting up an event that had two bars with two bartenders each. Since I liked Luke, I worked where he was. I asked, “Are you looking forward to our date later?”
He said something I’ll never forget: “Wait. A date? Like a date date? You and me? A date? On a date? Umm…no. This is not a date. No. Not a date. Not a date at all. This is so not a date. No. No, no, no, no, no, no. Not a date. We’re getting together as friends so it’s SO not a date. Not a date at all. It can’t be. No. This is definitely not a date.” He vigorously shook his head the whole time he talked.
I stared at Luke. When he was done talking, I didn’t say anything. I turned around and went to the other bar where I asked another bartender to trade with me for the rest of the night.
As for the “date,” I never showed up, and I never spoke to Luke again. Although we did work together, no words were exchanged. I graduated college and left town soon after. If he’d just cleared up the confusion in a nice way, I would have gone to the movie with him. Not only was I hurt by his response, but I didn’t want to be around someone who acted like going to a movie with me was equivalent to being thrown in a vat of acid.
Part of me likes to think that Luke is still waiting in front of the movie theater for me. Eh…probably not.
