Jeremy Does NOT Go to Rae’s House
I could tell he was looking for a way to let me down gently. As much as it hurt to watch him decline my offer, I appreciated that he cared how he did it. Here stood my hero, the greatest writer of a generation. Seeing him struggle to find his words was like helplessly watching the drowning of a loved one.
I threw him a lifesaver. “You are so kind even to consider it. I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.”
“No…”
“It’s okay,” I interrupted, not wanting to hear him lie. “Thank you for a phenomenal day.”
* * *
On many occasions, I’ve struggled to understand why he turned me down. Here are a few of the possibilities I’ve considered:
(1) Our social class differences could not be the reason; he’s dated women who weren’t wealthy or famous. Plus, he already knew I wasn’t dirt poor and a working filmmaker.
(2) Maybe he was already in a relationship, but he could’ve just said that. Hell, he could’ve said that even if it weren’t true; that’s the go-to line for getting out of an unwanted date invitation.
(3) I know I’ll never be a supermodel, but I’m not a complete lost cause. Besides, in my humble opinion, most of the women he’s dated have been average-looking. He could sleep with a different 19-year-old wannabe every night if he wanted to, but he seems to appreciate mature women with mature bodies. I give him mad props for that.
(4) The one type I’ve never seen him with is a black woman. While I don’t believe he has a racist bone in his body, everyone has preferences. Maybe he’s just not down with the sistas.
Perhaps I’ll never know.
THE END