Blind date

We had agreed to meet at the Palomino for drinks in order to get o know each other. He had described himself as six foot two weighing around 240. The pictures that I received were of a good looking man who obviously worked out and took care of himself. I had been about to give up on the online dating scene due to some really bad dates. There was this one guy Sam who asked me over and over on our first date if I had questions or comments. I mean this guy would not let the question go. He would interrupt a conversation in the middle to ask if I had “questions or comments?” every five minutes or so. I ended up paying for both of our dinners when his credit card declined…loser.
This guy though seemed to have his shit together. We had talked for nearly an hour the night before and while we didn’t share everything in common we at least had good jobs and loved great food and wine. This late in life I find that hobbies matter little as long as you like each other. He at least knew enough social grace to not ask me if I had any questions or comments.
In any case I had arrived at the restaurant about 25 minutes early as there was a snow storm in Minneapolis. While I waited I sipped a glass of wine and watched people. Several minutes later I receive a call from Erik telling me that he will be late because his car is stuck. I offer to blow the restraint off and pick him up as I drop a twenty for the wine and put on my coat.
While I am driving through the Minneapolis streets in a blizzard I notice that the streets are very slick take it slow even though I drive an BMW X5 though I seem to be the only one slowing down. It takes me about 20 minutes to find Erik. I find him in his car, a prius, and he climbs into my car carful to shake off the snow.
He is slightly heavier than his picture suggests but not to the point of being dishonest. At least I think. We are both starving and he suggests that we try something different, Somali food at a restraint he has heard of called the red tail café. I agree as I am always up for a something new. On the drive over we talk about many things getting along great. When as I am stopped at a light a car making a turn loses control and doing a 360 crashes into my X5 on the passenger side, I am left dazed but Erik is shouting for help. As I look over I see that his face is white with tension and I notice that the door is crushed in on his right arm and leg. The driver in the other car is already a calling for help on his cell phone. I stay with him, talking to him, letting him know that it is ok. Several minutes later help arrives and the Jaws of Life are needed to extract Erik from the wreckage. I am unsure where to go so I get in the ambulance going to the hospital. On the way Erik takes hold of my hand and smiling, though he is in awful pain, asks me on another date, one without police.