Date Number One started out with a bang. Well, maybe not so much a bang as the “thwump” of me smacking the palm of my hand to my forehead. I’ll explain.I’ve known Dave since the beginning of this year, and I’ve wanted to go on a date with him. He’s kind, good looking, fun to be around, has great taste in music, and we have had some really deep conversations about life, God, and art. In fact, Dave is a phenomenally talented visual artist who currently has his work displayed at the Kayo gallery downtown and was just nominated for a City Weekly “Arty” award for his illustrations (http://www.cityweekly.net/utah/article-8731-artys-2009-ballot.html- vote for him!). Despite all of this, we have never been on an official “date”, so I thought that he would be a great choice to ease into this project with.
I told Dave about the idea and he was supportive. He suggested that we go to the “Craft Lake City” event at the Gallivan Center and check out the art, music, and crafts on display. As soon as I got off the call with him, I excitedly texted my friend, Winter, to tell her that I was going on date number one that night with the artist we’d gone to see at the gallery stroll.
At least, I thought I texted her... until I got a text back from Dave saying, “Would that be me?”
FAIL.
This is where the thwumping took place. I would have been a little mortified if I weren’t laughing so hard.
Dave came to pick me up and got lots of points for chivalrous conduct. Conversation was easy, balanced, and comfortable. When we arrived, it was amazing how many people there knew him. We had just slipped into the crowd when he ran into two fellow artists. I got to meet a lot of the interesting and talented people he associates with.
Dave suggested a scavenger hunt in the festival to look for something awesome. (Which he won when he came across a table selling items entirely made of duct tape...) Some of the highlights of the exhibits for me included a table selling nothing but
identical ceramic dinosaurs in different poses... gnawing on slippers, coloring, about to blow something up... and also, large spider christmas tree ornaments made out of ceramic and pipe cleaners. I couldn’t tell you why. Another vendor told us that he had two full library-esque card catalogues at home with nothing in it but “Skosi”, which is a word he made up to describe his collection of random homeless game pieces, clothing patches, and trinkets of all shapes and sizes. Funny, I guess one man’s trash really IS another man’s treasure. Or... something.Most of the vendors were actually very cool. I loved being surrounded by so much creative energy and initiative. Even the skosi guy did some very unusual book binding. I hope that next year, Dave decides to sell some of his own work there.
On the way home, I got to learn more about some of the things that have shaped Dave's life and attitudes. He was also great at being interested in what I had to say. I really love how freely conversation flows with him. This was definitely a good way to take the book in my life marked "Dating" off the shelf and blow some dust from its covers.
So, if I were to write the Readers Digest version of my date with Dave, I would highlight the great company and conversation with lots of laughs, creativity, inspiration. Plus, some of the best people-watching I’ve had the pleasure of doing in a long time.
We’re off to an encouraging start.
