MICHAEL MANNING'S 10 BLOGS OF APRIL PAST! (#10)

Patrick Swayze with Demi Moore from "Ghost": Not really much of a departure from my story below when I look at this photo--minus the parking meter...

Actually, not all of the following were written in April. But I liked the title and decided to "wing-it". Here's the deal: For the final 10 Days in April, I am picking just 10 of my memorable BLOG Posts and re-running them. This BLOG post was my first one entitled "French Kisses & Parking Meters". It posted on June 20, 2005. I hope you enjoy a retro look back with me! Little has changed...(except for the name of the real girl). ;-)

Michael

Jennifer was very attractive. She had short brunette hair and a slim build with an unforgettable smile. Our evening had all of the ingredients of a great first date. An outdoor Italian cafe, plenty of Cabernet Sauvignon and of course fascinating conversation. And at the end of the evening, what could have been more romantic than a prolonged goodbye kiss along a busy boulevard that became our Champs-Elysee's? Our dialogue was as crisp as a Steve McQueen movie and it went something like this. "I had a great time tonight", she said. "So did I", I replied. Her turn: "I'm already looking forward to our next date". Me: "It will be unforgettable", (boy someone was confident)! Her turn: "Call me". Me: with my two forefingers and thumbs in the air pointed at the object of my affection as I started slowly walking backwards without breaking eye contact (high drama): "You got it". (Let me just interject that in my defense, we drank A LOT of wine and the movie "Jerry MaGuire" had just been released. If you've seen it, this moronic gesture made sense). Now all that remained was my exit--my "stage right" to turn and walk across the street to my apartment.

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Suddenly and without any provocation a large massive intruder struck me squarely in the chest. I actually thought my sternum had been broken! What sounded like a child's fingernails being dragged across a chalkboard was actually air rushing out of my deflated lungs. On my seemingly slow-motion fall backwards onto the sidewalk I looked bleary-eyed to my left and saw my "attacker"--a cast iron parking meter rocking wildly back and forth! I was now flat on my back. Jennifer rushed to my aid and knelt at my side. This could have been the closing scene from the film, "West Side Story"...Tony and Maria. This was entirely different. I remember that look on her face as resembling a strange mixture of humor and pity. "Are you all right? Tell me! Is there anything I can do?", she pleaded. In those precious seconds, I wasn't sure what to recover first my breathing or my dignity. Ultimately, I started breathing and eventually "Jerry MaGuire" was helped up off the pavement. Jennifer even offered a hug. "Do you need me to walk you across the street?", she asked. (So thoughtful). "No, No uh. That uh...that won't be necessary. Really, I'm okay", I sputtered dying of embarrassment. We had a second date scheduled. But somewhere between the attack of the parking meter and our next outing, her two-timing beau re-entered the picture and for me it really became "stage left".