Well, I put on a great show. And actually, it made me feel really good! I'm naturally upbeat and that is a quality he has always treasured.
By mid-afternoon, he hadn't called, so I called him to confirm time he would come over. He said he was bogged down with sudden jobs and wanted to see if it could be tomorrow or next day. I said, no, it must be tonight. That's what we agreed (because over weekend he was with OW!).
I also asked him a favor...to borrow a piece of sporting equipment. He said ok.
He came over on time, sharp. I said hi, friendly, from 20' away. He was unloading his car to work on some stuff he needed to do. He walked over by me and he stood close and I stepped back. He stepped close and I stepped back again. Once he was done outside, he came inside to do some repair he needed to do (damage he had created once). He reached to touch my arm and I backed off. I said he was the repairman. He said, that's it? I said yep. I was sunny and talking about how sunny it was outside. He said something he was frustrated with and used the f word twice and I said excuse me? I don't like men to use that language in front of me (I bet he didn't say it in front of OW). If you're a gentleman that is. He didn't know what to say.
He asked me to pick up the sport equipment and show him my form, I said no, I already put it back in the case. He said come on show me and I said no, maybe you'll see me in a game sometime. I stayed in the kitchen. When he was done, he came in the kitchen behind me and touched my arm and I pulled back. Then, he pinched my rear! And I said that is inappropriate behavior. Then he made this noise I always liked and I didn't blink.
Then I gave him a box of biscuits for his dog and asked that he give them to him. He said you'll be over to see him and I said no, I wouldn't. Then, I pulled out a blanket I had finished to give to him (a long overdue gift). He now was really puzzled. I talked about the blanket and he paused. I said don't you like it? And he said he was having a moment. I stayed super sunny and breezy.
Back outside, he said he would do another repair for me and I said oh thanks that's ok, you're busy.
Then I thanked him for doing the repair and he said "that's it"? And I said, "oh and thanks for doing the other repairs."
As he left, I turned and said "good-bye!", smiled and waived.
He was so frustrated. At one point he said "come on..." like it should be like before. But it can't be. A couple times he stopped and looked like he really had words to say, but they never came out and I never encouraged them.
Each door he tried to open using affectionate ways of the past, I closed down confidently and firmly yet still in a breezy way. I feel good.
What do you think he feels? I know I shouldn't care, but I do.
