Rushing towards Love

Chapter 6

Next monday around the coffeemaker at work, she was regaling Jessie and Terrell with her date with Jason.  Jessie clearly pleased with what she felt was a homerun. 

“What a great date!  Will you see him again?” 

“If he wants to, absolutely.” 

“Oh he would be crazy not to.”

“Speaking of crazy, I had a message from the speed dating people that one of my matches wanted to get in touch with me, that David guy that was my first match?  The disaster that was racist and a touch homophobic?”

“OH MY GOD” squealed Jessie, “What was the message?  Did you get it?”

“Well I wasn’t going to agree to them releasing my contact information, so I told them that I wasn’t comfortable doing so, and if he really needed to send me a message, he could do so through them.  I then told them about my conversation with him and how uncomfortable it was.  They said one of the moderators had overheard bits and pieces and had reported it already.”  

“So did he send the message?” 

“Oh yeah, they forwarded it to me last night, with their apologies.”

Jessie and Terrell gasped.  “THEY apologised?  What did he say?” 

“Are you ready for it?”

They nodded.

“HI Nokia, I am David and we met last week for the speed dating event and I have decided that I am willing to consider dating you as long as you lose 15-20 pounds.  Only then would you be pretty enough for me to date in a public venue however if you wanted to meet privately to get to know each other better, I would be open to that even before you lost the weight.  I will overlook the fact that you are Indian as long as you understand that no one is ever to know.  You can pass well enough, that people wouldn’t even realise as long as you don’t tell them.  I would also be willing to overlook your bisexuality as long as you bring girls home for both of us and don’t go off cavorting without me.  I am attaching the contact information of a personal trainer that I feel would benefit you.  I look forward to hearing from you in one month if you want a public relationship or even sooner if you want a private one.”

Terrell sat back.  “Wow, that’s bad.”  

She sighed and flushed. “Like I can’t figure out if I’m laughing at this, or furious at this.  I personally don’t understand it. So a guy is allowed to have a little extra meat on his bones and we’re supposed to idolize the Man Bod. Give him his credit as a person that will keep us warm in the middle of the night. And we put on an extra 15-20 pounds and we’re the worst sort of people that aren’t allowed to be pretty or dateable even?  And to add insult to injury, I corrected him on the correct terminology that night.  I'm not Indian, I'm Mètis, it's deliberately rude and inconsiderate.” Nika grimaced at the whole message. 

Jessie groaned. “Block him! Do not respond even. God men are such assholes.”

Terrell and I shook our heads.  

“Men are such assholes.” I agreed vehemently.

“Well I’ve got to get back to work, I certainly hope that speed dating organization removes him from their client list, that is horrifying.  No one should treat another person like this.  You are perfect and beautiful the way you are and I’m proud of your cultural pride.”  Jessie stood up and hugged Nika fiercely.  

Terrell’s face had a sudden look of surprise.

“You are….bisexual?”

“SHHHHHHHH!” Jessie groaned, “that doesn’t need to be common knowledge here at work.  That’s Nika’s to decide who and where.” 

“I did not know! I’m just learning this myself!  Color me a little surprised!” 

Jessie started dragging Terrell back to their offices.  

“Wait!  Did he call you a camera?”

Nika laughed.  “Yes Terrell he totally did!”