...make me a match

One of the girls in our "girls night out" suggested that I go on a blind date with her boss.

It used to be that I would never even CONSIDER a blind date, but having had just five dates in all of 2005, I've loosened up on that rule.

The "boss" is described as a huge Cubs fan (good), works out a lot (good), 52 years old (not ideal, but not horrible), bald (ditto) and "kind of like a dad" (um, ..what??). It occurred to me that Matchmaker, being all of 26 or 27, might consider fatherhood the final nail in the coffin where romance is concerned.

Matchmaker and I only met through a mutual friend that evening, so she really doesn't know anything about me (except for my age). What would make her think that her boss and I would make a good match?

Another of our girls gave me Matchmaker's cell phone number and suggested I call and ask about her boss. I haven't called yet because I'm afraid that Matchmaker might consider anyone over 40 as dead and buried so they'd match up just fine (like all-white gym socks thrown together in a drawer.)

I was thinking about the blind date possibility this morning over my coffee. I mentioned the situation to my Mexican friends at the counter of my usual breakfast place and apparently the customer at the end overheard me.

Getting up to leave, the woman, a senior citizen who not long ago was beautiful, tapped me on the arm and said, "After two marriages and two love affairs, I met the love of my life at 50 on a blind date. Then he died and I haven't met anyone since.

"It's one night out of your life. Go!"

At least I could make the call...