Merlot

It’s 8:15 on a Friday evening as I settle into my couch staring down the bottle of Merlot sitting on the counter. This is going to be the 6th Friday, and possibly counting, spending the night that’s supposed to be filled with hot and heavy thrill, by myself. Depressing much? I know.

Drinking alone is fun… but it’s lonely. I used to think of it as an empowering thing. You know, like Olivia Pope from Scandal or even Alicia Florrick from The Good Wife. Those women made it seem like a victory to come home so the sound of your heels echoing off the walls of a deserted home.

You know what? I’m going to put an end to this. It’s decided. Let me just go to.. hm. Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, or Upward. I get good hits off tinder but they’re just gonna wanna come in and get straight to bed and, I don’t know about that tonight. Bumble… how do I even successfully navigate that. Hingle… it feels like everyone is desperately trying to get married like right now. But Upward seems cool.. Christian dating site. I don’t wanna seem like an imposter but I’m just looking for company.. that’s not creepy. Christians are supposed to be cool right? Upward it is.

*10 minutes later*

“Hey!.” Sent. (9 matched people).

Okay, something has got to give. It’s hitting 8:45 and I’m about to just crack open the bottle and call it a night. Well, you know what? I might as well just do it. I’m an independent woman and I don’t need a man. I desperately say to myself almost running for the bottle opener. *Ding Ding* My heart drops to my feet. O.M.G. I might have company. I look to see who it’s from and it’s from this fine man named AD. The message says “Hey! I know this is kind of quick but, I’m bored. Wanna link?”.

I scream internally and muster up something clever and respond with, “What adventure are you taking me on?”.

From there I scurry to get dressed. We agreed to meet at the smith tower to enjoy the view of Seattle while we get to know eachother. Upon arrival, I see this tall chiseled man standing outside the door with… flowers? Flowers from Upward?! I’m already blushing. We greet eachother and now that I’m close enough to see his features, I’m melting inside by his smile.

I ask, “Why are you smiling so much?”.

“You’re just so beautiful under the moonlight” he says.

I giggle to myself, knowing that was the most cheesy line that anyone could have every come up with. But I thanked him and led the way to the elevator to get up to the view.

We carried small talk on the way up figuring out we were both declaring not to drink alone tonight.

Once we got settled in, we were able to just gaze in silence, listening to the hustle & bustle of the city below us.

It was so freeing feeling like we were the only ones on top of the world.

As time passed, I remembered I had a small flask I filled with wine before I left (In case I was stood up).

Embarrassingly, I exposed it to him, but to my surprise, he was elated. It just so happened he had a story behind why Merlot is his drink of choice.

It so happened that Bordeux was where is homage lied and that he lived his life with the same resilience the French endured during the age of Enlightenment and Revolution.

He said that each toast, or Merlot, reminded him of the powerful things that could take place when something new was embrace.

Our toast was, to new company on this lovely Friday night.

*glasses clink*