#FirstDate #FirstDates #FirstDatesIRL #Dating #Kilkenny #KilkennyCastle #DuckPond #Ireland #LEGO

A couple weeks after our First Date, I received a package in the mail. It was a copy of The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern’s Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure, The “Good Parts” Version by William Goldman. “The Princess Bride” happens to be FirstDate39’s favorite film, and she told me that she enjoys the book as much if not more than the film. It’s a quick read, and I would definitely agree with her – it’s as enjoyable as the film.

A couple of weeks later, she was in Kilkenny to meet up with some friends. She invited me to dinner with the three of them. Restaurants had recently reopened, and I had not been out in a restaurant since before COVID. We went to Billy Byrne’s, and they have a very nice, covered, outdoor area in the back. We enjoyed burgers and pints, and I made some new friends in town.

After dinner, we took a stroll through the castle grounds. This was a gorgeous, warm August evening – bright until late, but not too hot. I took advantage of the gorgeous weather to share an intimate moment with her at the Duck Pond (or as I call it – Shifting Pond 😘). She looked at me and said, “I guess that takes us out of the friendzone.” I asked if that was ok, and she seemed to agree. I walked her back to her AirB&B, gave her another smooch and I went back to my place.

The next morning, she came over to my place to meet Brownie and Linc before driving back to Dublin. I don’t know what happened in those 12 hours, but she was cooler with me than she was the previous evening. We continued texting each other, yet the frequency did diminish over time. I wouldn’t say that COVID ruined our chances, as there may not have been as much chemistry between us as I had hoped, but COVID certainly didn’t help. We remain friends which is nice. Nevertheless, the search for more than a friend continues.

(Last Dated – August 2020)