Justin's Life... September 15, 1996

September 15, 1996

3:49PM

Last night was to be the big revelation of Rob's secret admirer. Larry arranged for a babysitter for Katie then the two of us headed out towards Santa Monica. On the way, Larry said we should have called Nancy, the waitress for Don's surprise party, to ask her if Rob was working and if she could get us a table in his section. A cell phone call later, we found out that he was, indeed, working, but that he was assigned to the party tables. She said that she didn't think that there was any way that we could be put at one of his stations. Larry told her to "take care of him" and on towards the restaurant we went.

When we arrived in the parking lot, the place was about 5 times busier than the night of the party. We gave the car to the attendants then went inside to find Nancy. She said that there was nothing that she could do, but we should go talk to the manager, that he was a really great guy. And so, Larry found him at the seating desk, and they talked until Larry pointed to me and I walked over. The manager said something like, "So you're the stalker?" and I smiled and feigned that I wasn't a "stalker".

The smiling manager, who was also a team player, shook my hand then talked with us for a couple minutes. He said that he'd seat us in one of Rob's tables which was normally reserved for six people as soon as the people currently there left.

Larry and I went to the bar area, where he had a martini and I had a coke. He began talking to the bartender while I watched Rob. Before long, the people at both of Rob's six-people stations were leaving and I was worrying that a real party of six would be seated there. I told Larry as much and he went down to the seating desk to make sure that we got one of the tables. The manager wasn't there but walked up while Larry was talking to the clueless host to say, "Don't worry about it. It's taken care of."

And so, Larry and I went back up by the bar for a couple minutes until the flirtacious manager came to get us. He told me, "You made Rob really nervous." I giggled and walked behind him to the host station where he handed me two menus and said to sit at the last table.

Smiling from ear to ear, I nervously waited for Rob to arrive.

Figuring that he must have known by now that I was the secret admirer, I wasn't quite sure if I was going to say anything when he got to the table to take our orders, but when he did arrive, Larry introduced himself. I said "Hi" and told him that my name was Justin. After shaking each of our hands, he something like, "So you're the one who sent the balloons?" and smiled. Still smiling from ear to ear, I said that I was and nervously pulled the card from under my shirt.

Rob took it, talked a bit more, then asked for our drink order. When he left, and all through the night, employee after employee came to the table to say, "So you're the stalker?" I was smiling so much that Larry said he thought I was in a Miss America pagent. Apparently my gift of balloons was the talk of the entire staff.

As the night passed, Rob got more comfortable and started sitting down on each side of the table to talk. The manager walked past the table several times while Rob was there and smiled that all-knowing smile. Rob and I were the center of attention.

Unbeknownst to me until afterwards, during the meal, Larry went to the bathroom and when he came out, he bumped into the manager who asked him point blank, "Do you sleep with Justin?" and Larry answered, "Yes." To which, he responded, "So you're looking for a three way?" Larry answered back, "I guess that would be great, but that's really not the deal."

When Larry got back and told me what I had happened, I wasn't too happy. I'd asked Larry before the night began to "assimilate" Rob slowly and here he was telling everyone that we were sleeping together. Sure, Larry had been caught off guard, but when Rob asked me a little later, "So you two sleep together?" I was once again more than a little unhappy. I wanted Rob to think that I was "normal", but letting him know that I was sleeping with Larry while "putting the moves on" him wasn't exactly "normal."

So anyway, I muddled through answering that question by saying that Larry and I had slept together then quickly changed the subject. Before I changed the subject, though, I tried to make sure that he knew that I wasn't wanting him for a three way relationship. He responded something about how that was good because he had midwestern morals. --I'm neglecting to mention that Rob asked me this while Larry was once again gone to the bathroom. (He didn't really have to go, but rather was giving Rob and I some space to talk.)

By the time we'd been there for an hour or so, Rob had stopped to talk at the table several times. He told us about where he went to college, about his ambitions, and about working as a waiter. He seemed really koool and as Larry pointed out, he was at the table way too much to not be interested.

In fact, during one of the times he was there (when Larry was yet once again gone), he said that we should definitely hang out sometime but that he had to work every night until Thursday and would then be going to his hometown for a week after that. I thought he was interested, but my every-doubting self seemed to think that perhaps that was his way of gently letting me down.

Once I'd talked with Larry about all that had happened, he said that he'd leave one more time and that I should make a date with Rob before he left town. Apparently, though, Larry bumped into Rob on his way and told him that I was worried that he thought I was a freak and would never see him again because when Rob walked past the table, he yelled, "I'm not freaked out."

From there, he delivered the order to the other table of six and came back to talk with me once again. We talked for a few minutes and I ended up saying, "Larry said I should ask you out before you leave." He seemed very agreeable and said that he would check his schedule then come back. As he was getting up, I said, "Just you and me." and he responded, "Yeah. He's a nice guy and all, but..."

While Rob was checking his schedule, Larry returned and I told him what had happened. When Rob got back, he asked, "How about Monday night?" I said that was great and that's where we left it. Koool

On the entire trip home, Larry and I talked of what had happened and how cute Rob was and how sweet he was and how smart he was and how honest he was and how... well, you get the picture. --And remarkably, Larry says he's completely unthreatened by Rob "because he's a really koool guy"

9:08PM

I'm so nervous it's not even funny. --Well, OK, maybe it's slightly funny.

I can't stop thinking about whether Rob's going to call, if he's going to call, what we're going to do, what I should wear... everything. I guess my nervousness is a great guage to how attractive I think someone is. I mean, I'd thought Rob was attractive from far away, but after last night when he sat at the table and I could see him up close for a while, he's honestly "droolworthy" I just have to make sure that I don't stare a hole through him tomorrow. --Wait! Somehow I completely didn't include this, but Rob has red hair. I thought perhaps he might have had red hair from the first night, but since he always wears a cap, I couldn't tell. It's not red red, but it's enough to give him a really koool complexion. Yowza!

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© 1996 Justin Clouse

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