“Orso family dedicates new park!”
“Orso family opens new restaurant!”
“Don’t mind the smell! Dying maples saved by Orso family generosity!”
Grainy, black and white pictures accompany the articles, but the scanned images are of such poor quality, I can’t really see the faces of the Orso family members. I’m intrigued by the article about saving trees and give it a closer look. Apparently, there had been a problem with the pH balance in the local maple forest, and the Orso family had paid for a very expensive sulfur treatment to fix the overly alkaline soil and thus saved the maple industry in the area.
“Okay, now I am impressed.”
I try to zoom in on the grainy picture below the headline. I can identify a woman and two men standing near a grove of trees, but that’s about it. Their features are simply too blurred, which I find really odd. Even a phone camera takes a better picture than those shown in the article. When I investigate further, I find that all the other pictures on the website are of much better quality.
“What’s the deal? These guys don’t like having their picture taken?”
None of it makes any sense, so I set the laptop aside and look back at my phone. Additional notifications from the dating app await, and I’m tempted to ignore them. I’m not getting anywhere, and there has to be a more suitable way to meet people in the area. I would be much better off if I just went out on my own.
But I can’t help it. I read the messages.
The first one is from an extremely attractive young man. I feel a lump in my throat and my heart starts to beat a little faster, but then I realize the picture looks a little familiar. A quick check tells me that it’s actually a picture of the actor from a movie I saw last summer. I roll my eyes and scroll down, skipping the next few as well.
“Seriously, what is with the fish pictures?”
Finally, I find one who appears to be a real person, doesn’t include a picture of a fish, is in my relative age range, and knows how to spell basic words.
AHunt27E: Hey there! Hope you’re having a great day! Are you an eastsider? I’m Aaron.
I check out his profile a little more. His profession is simply listed as “management.” He’s single and wants kids someday. His longest relationship is listed as “Over a year,” and he likes traveling. Otherwise, there isn’t a lot of information to go on, but I figure I’ll give it a shot.
AccidentalC99: Hello, Aaron. Yes, I’m on the east side of town, but I’m new here.
AHunt27E: Cool! How do you like it so far?
AccidentalC99: I’m not really sure yet. Lol
AHunt27E: I’m sure it’s a little weird
AccidentalC99: It is. How long have you lived here?
AHunt27E: About nine years. Started working at the winter lodge here but that place sucks
AccidentalC99: I thought it looked nice. I haven’t been yet though.
AHunt27E: It’s cool for families and all, not much of a night life if you know what I mean. hahah
AccidentalC99: Yeah, I do.
AHunt27E: I’m actually about to head over to the club. Friday night and all. It’s called Big O haha! Wanna go?
Oh wow. He’s actually asking me out, and I’m not quite prepared for it. After the painful breakup with my solitary high school boyfriend, my dates had been few and far between, and none of them could be considered successful despite Aunt Ginny’s assurance that whoever’s son from the next town over would be perfect for me. All the encounters had left a bad taste in my mouth, and I had lost all interest in dating. Then again, this is exactly what I was looking for—an excuse to check out the local hangouts without going all by myself.
AHunt27E: did I scare you off?
AccidentalC99: No you didn’t! lol! Sorry, I was just thinking. I have heard of the place, and have wanted to go check it out.
AHunt27E: Perfect! I’m probably heading over there about 8:30. I could pick you up or wee could meet there. Your choice!
AccidentalC99: Let’s meet there, but maybe outside? I hate walking into places by myself. Lol
AHunt27E: No worries! There’s a Mexican restaurant on the corner by the club. That’s usually about where the line to get into O is anyway. Want to meet outside the restaurant?
AccidentalC99: That works. 8:30?
AHunt27E: I will see you then!
“I have a date.” I sit back, smiling for a moment until the reality hits me. “I have a date!”
I check the clock and then jump up as panic sets in. Nearly crashing into the wall in the process, I run into my bedroom and start tearing the recently organized closet apart.
“What do people wear to clubs?”
I haven’t the faintest idea. The closest thing to a club I’ve ever been to was on a a trip to Atlantic City shorty after I turned twenty-one. A lot of people there were dressed to the nines, but plenty of others were in jeans.
“Maybe a good combination?” I tilt my head to one side, examining a few of my options. “If I ever planned anything, I would have bought a new outfit before opening that damn app!”
I find a pair of slinky jeans and a flowy green blouse that’s nice but not too flashy. “It brings out your eyes,” Aunt Ginny always said.
Shower, shave, and makeup are my next tasks. I blow dry my hair, carefully forming soft curls and hoping it won’t frizz up. I get dressed and look in the mirror. I hate it all, change my outfit entirely three times and then end up with the blouse I chose first combined with a simple skirt. I pop in some gold hoop earrings and drop down on the couch to attempt to compose myself.
“Shit, girl! What are you so worried about?” I laugh at myself.
I have about fifteen minutes before I need to request a ride, but I’m nervous about being late, so I go ahead and contact Uber and wait outside for the driver to appear. John the Uber driver is pleasant but quiet. I wonder if all the ride-share drivers around here have to pick which side of town they work on but don’t ask. I sit the in the back seat and pull out my phone to look at Aaron’s profile picture again, trying to memorize it.
John pulls up in front of the Mexican restaurant, and I quickly tip him and give him five stars before I jump out. He thanks me, and I’m left standing under a streetlight alone. Just down the street, I can see the entrance to the Big O and a line forming there. I stand at the restaurant’s entrance, looking around and feeling very awkward. It’s still only 8:20, but I’m feeling paranoid. What if this guy doesn’t even show up? Do I go to the club anyway or maybe just stop in the restaurant for a margarita?
“You’re being ridiculous,” I mutter to myself and then quickly bite my lip.
People walk past me and head to the line, which is much longer now, in front of the club. Approximately thirty people are standing out front, waiting to get in, and I’m surprised that a town of this size has a line for anything, but I suppose it’s because all their IDs have to be checked. I’m glad to see that most of them are dressed casually, and I’m not going to stand out. To keep from looking completely out of place, I pull out my phone and poke at a few buttons, hoping I look like I know what I’m doing.
A few more minutes pass. At 8:40, I seriously start considering the margarita.
I glance up to see a man waving from across the street. I narrow my eyes to get a better view of him as I tentatively wave back, not entirely sure if he’s waving at me. I should have spent a little more time studying the picture, but it would probably be rude of me to look now. Still, something doesn’t seem right about his appearance.