First Date

First date
What a sucker was I
For romance the likes of which I haven’t seen since, fancy food, plentiful drink
Comparing art, discussing weighty issues I’m sure
We were so witty so irresistible back then, that first Saturday
That first night

Way back when, when Saturday night
Meant dressing to impress, and not knowing what to expect from a date
(You know how first dates can be…) Was I nervous that Saturday
A million years ago? I would have been, I was so young, wasn’t I?
Remember what weekends meant, back then? Different now for sure
But back then anything could happen, would happen if perhaps a strong drink

Materialized to help move things along. Alas these days it takes but one drink
To put me out for the night
Not that I wouldn’t love to stay up, discuss world events, I’m sure
Even sex sounds great, that is if we could just skip the date
Part. You know how exhausted I
Get. Who can be bothered what with dinner, wine and a movie. I know, next Saturday

We’ll send the sitter out with the kids, for dinner somewhere on Saturday
And we will stay home with a bottle of our own to drink
You can tell me how it used to be, back when I
First fell for you, though I see now it must have been a ruse, that night
Was too perfect, wasn’t it? Not real, the city air was not full of soft music, that first date
It must have been me caught up in the newness of you, before I knew for sure

Through the haze of years newness and uncertainty seems harsh, though I’m sure
My younger self, an addict to excitement, would scoff at my ideal Saturday
Which has crept closer to quiet. Some kind of spell has kids upstairs asleep and our date
Begins curled up on the couch, a movie to watch and wine to drink
Crazy is making it up ‘til midnight
Stealing moments before sleep when again you and I

Laugh. Maybe about something the kids said, or maybe about something I
Heard on the radio and made sure
To remember. A detail to savor and share with you should we get the chance at night
To connect. That’s the wonder of Saturday
Stolen time carved from chaotic life. We smile and clink and drink
A toast to our first date

12 years ago it was you and I
On that first date. Young, insecure, unsure
Not yet knowing we’d have many more Saturdays to share a drink