Challenge Accepted

After a crappy (literally) Valentine’s date, I met Courtney at the perfect non-Valentine’s day bar ever. Instead of roses, sushi, and a live violinist, it had trivia, fried food, beer, and a juke box.  After plugging in ten Ke$ha and ten Sara Bareilles songs into the juke box, we recounted our evenings and debated whether or not Valentine’s Day is the worst holiday ever.

At one point, our argument got so heated that one of the two gentlemen enjoying beers next to us chimed in. Courtney noticed said gentleman’s buckle-inspired wristband and said, ”I totally want that bracelet. I bet you could get him to give that to you. Then you could give it to me.”

Never willing to let my good friend Barney Stinson down, I immediately replied, “Challenge accepted”.

I walked over to the two guys and continued to discuss the pros and cons of Cupid’s stupid holiday. After we each stated our sides on the debate, names, careers, and hometowns were exchanged as well. As conversation lulled I feigned surprise upon ‘noticing’ his interesting bracelet. ”Would it be possible for me to try that on?” I questioned. He fastened it to my wrist, after which I suddenly had the urge to use the ‘bathroom’, i.e. complete the challenge and show my newly adorned wrist to Courtney.

Squelching her excitement, I admitted that I would be unable to actually steal a nice guy’s cool wrist band. Instead, I watched him from across the bar, waiting until he stood to leave. As I returned his jewelry, he asked for my number and a chance to hang out again.

Two days later, he called. Yes, you heard right, he CALLED. I can’t remember the last time a guy I met at a bar actually picked up the phone, called, and then, wait for it… left a voice mail when I didn’t pick up.  Most men start with the seductively lacking “hey” text message.  Bracelet Man might be a keeper.