I imagine that up to now I've been walking down a street. And in order to get anywhere, I need to turn a corner and walk a different way. What I'm trying to say is, this part will be harder by necessity. A complexity to multiple scenes and moving parts that requires planning and, most importantly, an ending.
I started with an inspiration from Seth Godin and here is another, albeit paraphrased:
Starting requires finishing. If you don't finish it, you never really started it.
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"So how did that conference thing go, Fred?" Ryan asked.
Fred was just stepping up to the line and readied his dart. "Conference was fine. I did generate some interest in the program that I'll need to follow up on. It wasn't quite the clamoring for trial details that I had been hoping for, but it's more than I had before," Fred said. He threw the dart that he had been holding and perched the next one between his fingers. "I met a girl there, though." Another dart hit the board.
"Oh yeah? How did that happen? I can't picture you going up to some girl and asking her out," Ryan asked as Fred tossed his final dart. Fred had always been rather quiet and withdrawn around people he didn't know. And even around those that he was familiar with, like Ryan, he tended to reserve himself a little.
"You're right, I didn't go up to her and ask her out. She asked me out," Fred answered as he handed the darts to Ryan.
"She sounds like a brave one, so far so good. So she asked you out, and you got dinner or what?"
"Yeah, just dinner. We went to this barbecue place a few blocks away and had a couple of drinks and talked for awhile."
"And how did it go?" Ryan asked.
"I had fun. Okay, I had a lot fun. No big deal."
Ryan was lining up his second dart when he stopped to say, "No big deal? You wouldn't have said anything if it wasn't a big deal. I'm sure you've had dates and haven't told me before . I think there is more to this story that you're not telling me. What's this girl like?"
"What's she like? I don't know, that's such a broad question. I mean she's nice, friendly, funny, outgoing... We had a good time, is that what you want me to say?
"Getting there. I now know that this girl uhh... what's her name by the way?" Ryan asked.
"Rachel."
"Rachel, got it. I now know that this Rachel is nice, friendly, funny and outgoing. Good story. What else? Why did you have fun? Would you go out with her again?" Ryan said when he handed the darts back.
"Fine, you want more? Here goes. You suck at darts by the way."
"At least I don't suck at telling your friend how his date went. Get on with it."
"Well we met after my presentation. I was sitting at the bar, relaxing with a beer, when Rachel came out of the banquet hall. She must have seen me step out through a side door and left to find me, because when she saw me sitting at a table she came directly to my table. We chatted for a few minutes and got to know each other. She's a doctor too and actually gave a presentation earlier on in the conference. She asked me about my research and afterward she asked me out to dinner.
"As I said, we went to this barbecue place in the neighborhood. The atmosphere made it really easy to get to know each other; it's kind of hard to be serious when your face and hands are slathered in barbecue sauce. After a quick wash in the bathroom, we reminisced about college days and compared hobbies and interests. Joked about awkward first dates we'd had before. I think I had more of those stories than she did, but whatever. The she got up to sang karaoke and then begged me to sing one too."
"Really? Karaoke? And did you do it?" Ryan asked in disbelief.
"Well, of course I did it. When a beautiful girl begs you to do something, you do it."
"Man, I wish I had been there. But she's good looking, huh?"
"I'd say she's out of my league." Fred said.
"That's not really saying much, but go on."
"Not much else to say. We had a couple of drinks and called it a night. It was nice, two people having a good time without the pressure of trying to make it to the second date. But don't get me wrong, I'd go out with her again, given the chance that is," Fred explained.
"Is that so? Well, where's she from?"
"Chicago."
"So that's like an hour and a half, tops. You're going for that second date, right?"
"Can't we just play darts?"
"No, we can't just play darts, Fred. You've been moping around here waiting for a girl that likes you to just fall into your lap. And sometimes I think you just need to grow a pair and go after one of them!" Ryan said forcefully.
Fred started to line up his throw without saying anything and Ryan thought he might have pushed him a little far. "Hey, I'm sorry, alright. I'm just trying to look out for you, that's all. If you want me to leave you alone about it, just say the word and I'll drop it," Ryan said. "But can you please just answer me that one question, are you going to go after her?"
"Yeah, I'll give her a call."
"And you'll go down and see her this weekend?" Ryan asked.
"Yes, I'll go to Chicago and see her. Alright?"
"You know you'll thank me someday. I've known you for awhile, Matthews, and you're usually pretty down about how a date went. I just think that you had a good time out there in Rochester and I don't want to see you quit on it," Ryan said with a softer edge. He wasn't going to push him on it anymore, and he just wanted Fred to realize that he was trying to help.
"Thanks Ryan. I know you just want what's best and I appreciate it."
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