Is dating "as friends" really an option?

Hellow, everyone, and welcome to another installment of...."As the Dating World Turns." Today we see our heroine struggling to decide whether to accept the invitation to a local benefit from a co-worker even if it is "as friends."

Alas, the heroine decided to go....

As her "date" was the best friend of the Chairman of her company, she was *mysteriously* told to take the mail and go home a half hour early on Friday. The boss-man surreptitiously signed her timecard for "5:00." Hmmm....very interesting, grasshopper.

As our heroine walked into her date's home, she was greeted with the strains of Vivaldi, a pleasant candlelight ambiance and slight smell of potpourri in his immaculate home. Apparently, he knows how to make his date feel welcome and appreciated. Score one for the date!

Said date goes by the name of Chris. Chris lives in a very nice little ranch house and surprisingly, decorated it all himself in a somewhat ornate and Victorian style. And more surprisingly, Chris turns out to be quite an artist. He has an amazing and gorgeous poster he worked on from 1977 until he finished it in 1998. In addition, he has several other portraits and drawings framed throughout his house. Very impressive.

Chris and our heroine joined two other couples at the local benefit for the local music programs at the public schools, of which our heroine's daughter is a direct beneficiary, being a viola player in the youth orchestra. The benefit, unfortunately, was filled with fuddy-duddies who did not either know how to appreciate or were unwilling to admit they appreciated the music offered. Even worse, the heroine was placed at a table at the very back of the ballroom, which prevented her from being able to watch the performers, which is her favorite part, other than the music and the dancing.

But NO ONE was dancing. The sticks up their anuses prevented them from moving too freely, you see. However, the music was really first-rate. There were two members of Verve Pipe performing, along with several very talented groups. One former member, something Van Arken, performed alone with his guitar playing only original stuff. Very EXCELLENT original stuff. And his wife also played (when she wasn't hoisting her very chubby little baby around on her hip), and had the earth-mother thing going on. Overall, quite disappointing for the heroine who would have genuinely loved every minute of it had she been able to sit up front and dance.

As the evening wore on, Chris morphed from the "as friend" date to the "wow, you're beautiful" date. Did you know I was the most attractive woman in the room? Did you know my eyes, my lips, my hands, my rings, my outfit was all mesmerizing? I was lucky to have a date that paid attention to those kinds of things. However, it was a little uncomfortable to me because he is strictly in the "just friends" box. He made it clear, however, that he wants to be more than just friends.

Poor Chris. Now we have to have the "let's take this slow" talk. Sigh.

So much for being "just friends."