What’s in a Name? (Southern Belle)

Time for an update from Houston from Southern Belle.  Last time we heard from her, she’d just been on a rather promising first date with a man she called ‘The Ukrainian’.

Miss Twenty-Nine xxx

 

I can’t date multiple people at once.

I have come to this realisation over the past two weeks, as a couple of really nice, normal and frankly, hot as hell people have approached me on OKCupid. Following on from the date with The Ukrainian though, my response has definitely been muted. There’s even a seriously hot, outdoorsy, bearded fellow in Austin who’s muscular, over 6ft tall and got a personality to boot …. but I’ve put him on the backburner because of The Ukrainian …. a man called Eugene.

Yes. Eugene.

I found his name amusing when he first told me but thought he might have a nickname that he goes by, or something that his friends call him. Well folks, it turns out his friends call him Eugene. Because that’s his name.

Unfortunately for me, Eugene summons a mental image of this:

Rather than this:

I’d just like to take a minute to appreciate the sheer beauty that is Chris Messina, by the way. YUM.

Eugene had his name really working against him for one reason and one reason only. Imagine saying it during sex.

YOU CAN’T.

So even after a very promising first date, I’d kept searching OKCupid for .. well, someone with a better name.

Eugene, however, had other ideas.

His communication was constant and a little flirty, even when I got sick the following week and had to cancel on our planned second date. He was traveling to Amsterdam for a Bachelor party and found me on WhatsApp so that we could stay in touch while he was away, despite me saying it was perfectly ok (and understandable, for God’s sake) for him to disappear into a black hole of silence for 3 days. It’s Amsterdam. It’s a Bachelor party. We’ve been for one coffee. Nope.

He messaged me when he landed and sent a few photos over the weekend of them all having a generally good time. What surprised me the most though was his desire to meet up on Sunday, straight after his flight arrived.

Now, I’ve flown internationally a lot. This in not me boasting, I’m English and I’ve lived in the States for 6 years. It happens. When I get off a flight, fight through immigration, customs and wait an hour for my bag to appear, the last thing I want to do is to see people. I want my dog and my bed. After a bachelor party weekend?! I didn’t have the highest of expectations.

He landed at 1pm and called to say he was just waiting for his bags. An hour later, he’d been told they were on the flight that landed at 3pm. He apologized and rescheduled our date to 4pm. When I arrived at the coffee shop, he gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek.. albeit pretty close to the mouth. Then he handed me a little package.

“I wanted to bring you flowers but the airport wouldn’t have had any”

He’d brought me a little ceramic from Amsterdam with carved wooden tulips in – tiny, delicate, pretty. I was so surprised I went bright red. Not a cute blush, please don’t flatter me – I mean, ugly embarrassed red.

He laughed, said he was glad I liked it and we ordered some coffee. He grabbed a late lunch, and we sat in a beautiful sunny courtyard to chat and relax. I couldn’t believe he was still standing and he laughed, claiming that his Slavic blood was very sturdy.

In case I didn’t mention it, his accent is yummy. It’s American with a slight twang. I love it.

Something I need in a guy, and am very unapologetic about, is chemistry.  Eugene and I have chemistry. It’s simple. I particularly enjoyed him asking (very tongue in cheek) if a morning crossfit session could be substituted for another kind of session. Theoretically speaking, of course.

I do enjoy my morning sessions.

One of the reasons I haven’t been dating as much recently is that I’m a Team Captain at our gym for the Paleo challenge – which means no alcohol, grains, dairy, legumes or processed/refined sugar anything for another 6 weeks. I get up at 4.45am to go and work out and in the evening am resting or doing meal prep for the next day. Feeling great but it’s a killer for a social life outside of my gym!

Eugene wanted to know if I could fit a dinner in this week around my workout schedule, because he’d found a restaurant in Houston that serves paleo mains. Yes. While in Amsterdam, he’d researched a restaurant he could take me to that would fit this (most people consider it crazy) diet regime.

So I’m going to dinner on Thursday night. To be more specific, he is taking me to dinner on Thursday night. Because he was very clear that he was taking me out, not meeting me for dinner at this mutually agreed place. Hello, old fashioned dating values.

After two hours of chatting and catching up, he started to look really tired. We called it a day and he walked me to my car, giving me a soft kiss on the mouth goodbye.

Thursday Anticipation factor: 10.

Unlike most dates, I’m actually going to buy something pretty to wear. Jeans and a cute top will not cut it for this date, unlike every other I’ve been on. He’s making an effort and I will too. I’m thinking a cute dress with strappy flats.

As for the other guys? I’ve sent them a message to say I just started to see someone and don’t date multiple people at once. All responded back incredibly nicely, saying to message them if it didn’t work out because they’d love to go for a coffee, get to know me. That they appreciated the honesty and lack of games.

For now, I’m going to look forward to Thursday and think of a nickname for Eugene.

Southern Belle