... I met Edward on a blind date at J.P. Bullfeathers. Before I go on with the story, let me go back a few weeks earlier to the
very beginning.
My girlfriend Jill and I had gotten together for dinner right after Christmas. There we sat, chatting away at Ambrosia when she brought up this guy "Ed" that she worked with who she wanted me to meet (FYI-Jill was always trying to set me up with someone). She sold him by telling me he was a lawyer ($$$...hehe just kidding, I'm really not like that), was all about the city (I liked), had an apartment in the city (so did I), and was outgoing (me too). "So far, so good" I thought. I had been single for about eight months and the dating scene was not so hot. I said yes to meeting him for some reason (it was not like me at ALL to do this sort of thing), but what did I have to lose? I trusted my good friend's judgement, too. I could tell the instant that I said yes that she was beaming with excitement at the potential match she was about to make. She said she would set something up for her, her boyfriend Scott, Ed, and myself to get together.
A few days a later (on New Years Eve to be exact) I got a call from Jill telling me that she got engaged, that she told Ed about me and that he wanted to meet me. We were all going to go to Bullfeathers together to watch the Sabres game and get dinner and drinks. I liked the fact that it was a laid back thing and that it wasn't just the two of us meeting each other (in case it was a complete disaster) and if things didn't go well with us at least I was still going to have a night hanging out with my friend and the chance to meet someone new.
I, of course, was calm until the day of our outing when I nervously called Jill and panicked. "What am I doing...is he way out of my league?" She laughed and said, "no way." I hung up the phone, and decided to pull myself together. I did just buy a new shirt, so I needed to wear it. And yes, I do remember exactly what I wore (and I don't think I've worn it since). My Seven jeans, new shirt-dress and cardigan, black pointy toe pumps and a little black headband in my hair. Oh and my mom's advice..."You better be nice to him."
Jill and Scott picked me up around 7 and off we went to Bullfeathers. We walked into the restaurant and there at the bar sat Edward (on his second beer, I found out afterwards). He had walked there from his apartment on Elmwood. Jill introduced us to each other and my first thought was that he was not what I expected. I think I was expecting some dorky guy and that was not him at all. Instead he was handsome and nicely dressed. He had on jeans, a blue striped Banana dress shirt, nice shoes and a wool coat with a scarf (I'm good at remembering outfits). He was especially nervous with his scarf. He told me it was new and he wasn't quite sure how to tie it (I eventually showed him). I do admit that I noticed he was loosing his hair a bit (which Jill did not mention), but I immediately told myself "Amanda don't be like that...it's just hair." So there the four of us sat chatting away, enjoying the hockey game and having a great time. I was really starting to like this guy...there was definitely an attraction. Jill was right after all!
After the game we all decided to go to Colter Bay. Things were going really well when Edward pulled my to the side and said, "I think Jill made a really good match and I'd love to call you again if that's ok." He programmed my number into his cell phone and let me know that he was going to be out of town all week for work and that he would call me to go out again next weekend. It was really exciting to know that I was going to get to see him again. As we left Colter Bay Edward suggested that Jill drop us off at Toro (which was next door to his apartment) and that he would drop me off at home later.
Then, it was just the two of us sitting across from each other at the table, talking and getting to know each other. He informed me of lots of Led Zeppelin songs that were playing in the background. I had no clue what Zeppelin sang. At one point Edward looked at his watch and told me it was 2AM. Time flew by!
I lived only two blocks away on Linwood, but it was cold and late so Edward drove me home. I didn't want the car ride to end, the whole time thinking that this great guy lived right around the corner from me and God knows if I ever would have met him otherwise. We pulled up into the driveway and Edward was a gentleman and walked me to the front porch. I started to get butterflies in my stomach wondering how we were going to end this fantastic evening we had just had. I hadn't been on a first date in a while and I didn't know what was the appropriate way to say goodbye. The two of us stood on the steps to the front porch (you could tell Ed didn't know what to do either). We both said we had a great time and Ed said he would call me soon. And then...HE SHOOK MY HAND!!! WHAT??? I was so confused walking up the stairs to my apartment. I thought things had gone so well and then he just shook my hand like I was one of his buddies! Not that I was expecting a make-out session... but no kiss on the cheek, not even a hug???
The next day I got many phone calls asking how the blind date went and I had nothing but great things to say despite the lame goodbye. And for the next few days I found myself thinking about Ed a lot waiting for his call. He, of course, "followed the rules" and waited exactly 3 days until he called me from his business trip on the West Coast. He was coming back to Buffalo on Friday, so we decided to make plans for Saturday. He said he was going to plan an evening for us, and I started counting down the days until I would see him again.
That Saturday, we almost had to cancel our date together due to Ed's flight being delayed over twelve hours! He had planned a movie and dinner at Left Bank, and when he came to pick me up he brought me three different colored roses... that still hang in our bedroom today. I finally got my kiss on that date (yes, I made the first move) and the rest is history. Who would have thought that a blind date would now be my husband!?! And I owe it all to Jill and her match making efforts!
*Side note...I later learned that after Edward got back in his car from dropping me off he was swearing at himself the entire way home for not giving me a kiss. It became a running joke between us that he shook my hand that night. Then last October, after going for a walk around the city, we were on those same porch steps and he said, "I never want to make another mistake on these steps...will you marry me?" YES!!! I finally got my kiss on those steps!
