Orange corsage

Our company Christmas party was this evening. We have our Christmas party after Christmas for several reasons. December is really busy. It gives everyone something to look forward to after New Years. It's significantly cheaper in January/February.

Last year, I went stag. It wasn't awful but only because I got to sit with people I don't work with and swing dance with a fairly good looking single guy who also happens to be a great dancer. I think we went on a date after that but it didn't take and now he's dating the person who sits in the cube next to me. So while I didn't have a bad time, I wasn't looking forward to sitting through back-to-back slow songs again this year. I asked Grey to be my date but he's in Ottawa for his friend's wedding this weekend. Then I asked Big-Mac but he said he would be in LA this weekend. It turns out he wasn't (according to his fb status) so I'm not sure if he got home early or just lied. I don't much care actually, although I do think a bit less of him right now.

Anyway, I mentioned my datelessness to a coworker in a different group. I was actually going to bail altogether but she convinced me to come and sit at their table because one of her coworkers was also stag. She failed to mention that he was about 11 years younger than me! Anyway, I wasn't thinking too much of this. I was really just thinking that we were each going to be the other's empty seat filler. But, sweet child that he is, showed up with an orange corsage. It was a mostly a joke but I could tell he was more than a little embarrassed by the way he sort of threw it at me without looking at me. I didn't wear it but I did thank him for it at the end of the night. And I gave him my drink tickets. He really was very sweet. He tried hard to make conversation with me. And he asked me if I wanted anything from the bar. Hugged me goodbye when I left. While it was nice not to have an empty seat next to me, I wish she hadn't put us in such an exquisitely inappropriate situation. I think I handled it okay. I hope I handled it okay! I was very clear to his boss that we were only together for the purposes of maintaining even numbers at the table this evening. I bolted at the first slow song and was home by 11 pm.

Overall, the evening wasn't as stressful as I had anticipated and I did enjoy myself but I can't say that I'm looking forward to next year. With any luck, I'll be in Australia this time next year and 2010 is too far away to plan for realistically.