India's House Part 1

Am I the only one that has a difficult time recognizing when a guy is flirting with her?

On Monday, my staff team and I went to eat at a restaraunt in town called India's House (it is owned by an Indian family and serves Indian food). We all ordered the lunch buffet and indulged in an Indian feast (nan dipped in mango custard was one of my favorites along with some fried vegtable, but I can't remember it's name).

Matt and I were up getting seconds and he asked me if I had ever had Indian food before. I answered, "no I haven't."

"Well, what do you think?" he said.

"I like some of it. Other things, I'm not so sure...like that stuff," I said pointing to some green spinachy goo that resembled regurgiated baby food. Everyone on my team recommended it to me as their favorite, but I couldn't taste its appeal.

"Well, this stuff's alright," he said, "but it's also buffet style so its probably not the best."

I sat back to enjoy some more deliciousness when our waiter, Sunny, walked up with a pitcher of water to refill our glasses.

"So who here has never had Indian food before?" he asked.

Sunny was an attractive Indian in his 20's. He was about 5'10", had dark curly hair, good bone structure, and of course, a good complection (like most people of Indian decent).

"I heard you say you hadn't," he said pointing to me. Apparently he was listening to my conversation.

"Nope," I said.

"Is this anyone else's first time?"

"I've just had one time before this," Michelle said.

"Oh ok. Just one time," Sunny said.

He went away and came back a few minutes later and stood at the end of the table next to my seat.

"So, you've never had Indian food before?" he asked. "What do you think?"

"I like some of it," I said hesitiantly, not wanting to offend him.

"Is it too spicey?"

"No, I just don't like it

"What do you like?"

"I like this chicken and the nan and these vegtables," I said.

"Do you like the ____(I can't remember what he said but he was referring to the spinach stuff)."

"Oh, no."

"Really?" he seemed shocked.

"That's usually a favorite!"

"Yea, everyone recommended it to me, but I just don't like it."

He then proceeded to give me tips on what to eat and how to eat it, and then made a little more small talk. Then, he walked away.

"Uh oh, Rachel," Jamie said. "I think he likes you."

I thought that comment was a little unneccessary. That's what waiters are supposed to do, give you recomendations on food.

When we got up to pay, Alan approached me and said, "Sunny is obviously interested in you. We were talking about it at our end of the table."

"No he's not," I said.

"Yes he is. He singled you out and was talking to you."

"Its just because I've never had Indian food."

"Okay, you keep telling yourself that."

We walked up to the cash register and Sunny rang us up. I paid with my debit card and he asked for my I.D. since there was no signature on the back.

"is this really you?" he asked.

"Yes," I said.

"You sure?" he smiled. "I'm just kidding."

Michelle looked at me in confusuion. Sunny continued talking.

"My friend once dated a girl that looked different all the time. Her hair was crazy and her make-up was crazy. She looked like a...like a..."

"Like a clown?" I said.

"Yes! Like a clown! I did not like her with this crazy make up. Then, one day, he came here and her hair was short and she did not have on crazy make up. She was pretty, and I asked my friend, 'why are you dating this girl now?' And then he told me it was the same girl. You couldn't even recognize her!"

I laughed and commented that maybe he was really dating two girls at one time. Sunny thought that was funny (there I go sounding like Dr. Suess again).

On the way back to the office my staff team teased me.

"Sunny is a nice guy," Alan said. Alan and his wife have eaten at India's house several times. "You need to go back in there and give him your number. Then you can have something to blog about it."

Obviously I'm blogging about it anyway.

Sometimes I think my staff team is a little to obsessed with dating. In fact, if you've ever been to any event involving Campus Crusade, you will notice that dating is a top three topic in all conversations, talks, and seminars. It's a little overwhelming.

But this isn't the first time someone has pointed out that a guy is flirting with me and I make up some excuse to prove that he was not. In all honesty, I think I really do notice it when guys flirt, and I choose to ignore it. If you haven't noticed, dating scares me and I like to be mean to guys so they will leave me alone. I wasn't always this way. In high school, I knew alot of guys and alot of guys liked me. I wasn't oblivious to their flirting and I flirted back (sometimes a little more than I probaby should ). However, after making several mistakes, dating a few jerks, and getting hurt a number of times, ignoring a man's signals and pushing him away becomes second nature.

I realize that if I'm serious about this dating thing, I'm going to have to turn off the blinders and turn on the flirt.

"Guys need a little motivation," Michelle always tells me. "You have to flirt back!"