Date #1: Send The Godzilla Rolls To Cell Block C, Please...

I was talking to one of my friends about my 52 upcoming dates, and she suggested that I make a corresponding list of lessons or dating rules that I've gained from each experience.

So, for date number one, perhaps the rule should be, "Rule number one of dating: Never, on a first date, talk about your experiences in prison."

Okay, I should be fair. AT (as I will refer to my date) and I have known each other for a few years. We went to high school together, and I've been better friends with his cousin as the years went on. Anyway, a few weeks ago, he suggested that we go out, but I was still seeing my most recent ex, and wasn't really looking for anything with anyone else. When things ended between he and I, and I decided to do the 52 dates, I figured that I should finally go out with AT- at least it would be a good starting point.

Now, AT and I haven't seen each other in at least two years, so I had no idea what to expect. My Saturday started off with my phone being broken, so there was a chance that I might not even go out with him at all. I had just gotten a phone from my mom and gotten everything sorted and turned back on when AT called me to make sure we were still on for the evening. We discussed going to sushi (my favorite!), and I told him that I'd meet him at the sushi restaurant at 5:30. He asked if he could pick me up, which I thought was very gentlemanly of him, and I agreed and then went home to get ready.

AT was prompt picking me up and waited for me at his car. As I said, I haven't seen him in two years, and he seemed pleasantly surprised at his first look at me. I wasn't wearing anything too fancy- just a pair of dark jeans, black ballet flats, and a purple shirt that's somewhat low-cut but has a frilly design around the cleavage line. I wore light makeup and had my hair down, and I did have to agree that I looked pretty darn cute tonight. He wasn't dressed up, exactly, but he did wear a button-down shirt and dark slacks and looked nice as well. AT's black, which, if you know me, is rare- it's not that I don't date black men (what kind of reverse racism would that be?!), but there's just not many in Reno, nor are there many that I know or that have the same interests as me. However, I'm attracted to all sorts of guys and AT is attractive, and tall, which is always a plus for me. He's not my typical "type" necessarily, but he's a good looking guy for sure.

Anyway, he opened the door for me and I got inside and we started heading to the sushi restaurant. I wasn't particularly nervous, as I expect I will be on the next dates; I've known AT for at least six years, so it wasn't anything too nerve-wrecking to be going out with him. That being said, I felt the need to quickly fill any potential awkward silences by asking him several questions as soon as we started driving. I would soon learn to regret that.

"Nice car! Is this the same one you had before?" Yes, it was.

I asked him if he had worked that day. He had. I asked him if he liked his job. It was okay; at the least, it paid the bills. And then, I asked him the obvious- what have you been doing in the past two years? I was surprised with his answer.

"Well, I've been in and out of jail."

Erm...well...huh. Okay. Of course, his cousin, whom I had regularly kept in touch with, had told me about that, but I hadn't really heard any of the details. And it was a bit odd to hear AT speak about it so casually, and right at the beginning of our night, no less. He went on to explain in full detail how he had embezzled from his job back in 2007, which got him fired and sent to jail. And the past two years between now and then he's been in and out of jail for breaking his probation rules. He also explained how he has to go to a special drug rehab program (though he's not on drugs, he assured me) in order to fulfill the court's orders. Right.

Well, I have to give him credit for being honest, right? I mean, recently, I've met a lot of dishonest guys, so at least AT got the baggage right out there from the beginning. He explained that though he's been through these recent hardships, he's trying to straighten up- he's got a legitimate job, has his own car and is planning to move out of the halfway house (yes, halfway house) that he lives in now and move in with a roommate.

You know, I'm not one to judge. Everyone goes through rough times, and as long as you learn something from it and turn it around, which I think AT is on the road to doing, then more power to you. Though I did have to snark, when he asked me what I've been doing for two years, "Not going to jail."

The actual date itself was nice. We got all-you-can-eat sushi at my favorite restaurant and had pretty fluid conversation, which included our romantic entanglements for the past two years, mutual friends, family, our ideal locations, and the movie "Avatar". We finished up after about an hour and a half, and then I mentioned that I had plans with friends after dinner (and his curfew at the halfway house is 11pm...even on weekends), so he took me home.

I invited him inside to show him around my house, because, well, my house is pretty cool, and then he hugged me goodnight a few times and suggested that we go see a movie soon, as we had both discussed having not seen "Sherlock Holmes" yet during dinner. I told him that we should, though I didn't bother explaining the whole 52 dates thing yet.

I found it hard to tell him that was my plan after he was already taking me out to dinner, though for some reason, I had no problem going into detail about my most recent ex and why that failed. Way to make things awkward, Britt.

All in all, though, the date wasn't bad. Despite AT's brutal honesty about his...er...adventures in jail...I enjoyed his company and he was fun and easy to talk to, plus he kept flirtingly teasing me, which I'm always a fan of. The 52 dates concept aside, I'm not sure if I would continue to date AT or not; I don't feel any remarkable chemistry between us, and Lord knows the last thing I need is another guy who has life issues to sort out, but it was still an enjoyable time. Plus, I got to have sushi, which is like the best meal, ever.

One down, 51 more dates to go, eh?

The verdict is still out on my date for next week. I, surprisingly, have several options. I met a guy on New Years Eve who seemed interested and we were supposed to hang out last night, but then my phone broke, so I'll never know if he texted me or not. I'm thinking that I might Facebook him this week and ask him if he'd like to take me out.

Or, I met another guy just this Thursday night, who also asked for my number, so he could possibly be date number two. I also have another guy friend, whom I've gone on a few dates with in the past, that could be number two.

I'll decide who the lucky guy is by Wednesday. Though, if he's just gotten out of prison, I might have to pass.