Jill's Journal: Was it a date or dinner between friends?

By: 
Jill Meier, Journal editor

Last week, my phone dinged with a message from a high school classmate. He was going to be in Sioux Falls on Wednesday evening, and asked if I was free for drinks and dinner, and he was buying.

The opportunity to connect with a classmate.

Free drinks.

Free dinner. 

And nearly in my backyard.

No question, I was all in.

As I shared my upcoming plans with a group of friends the next evening, of course, the banter began.

“It’s a date!” one announced.

I shook my head, no, that it was simply two high school classmates getting together when the opportunity presented itself. In fact, in catching up with him at my 40th class reunion earlier this year, I extended the offer to give me a call if his work ever brought him to my neck of the woods.

Just as sure as the sun will come up tomorrow, he took my invitation to heart, hence our Wednesday evening get-together.

“Well, if it isn’t a date, then what is it?” fired back another of my inquisitive friends. “Does it have to end with ‘you-know-what?’”

Again, I shook my head, no, reminding the group that we’re just friends from high school, not to mention, that he’s married. With kids. And that’s a line I won’t cross nor should I ever consider crossing.

On Wednesday, my classmate and I met up in Sioux Falls. And just as promised, we had dinner, a drink and plenty to talk about, including the ribbing I had taken the night prior.

And just as I did my best to convince my friends that it was a simple dinner between classmates, he wholeheartedly agreed with me, even tossing in that he’s happily married and has never considered crossing that line since they exchanged their “I do’s”.

As for the free dinner and drinks, I happened to have a gift card to the place we chose and tossed it in to cover the bill. As a gentleman, he did his best to convince me to put the gift card back into my wallet. But the stubborn German in me, however, wanted to “share the wealth”. After all, it was a dinner between friends with no expectations other than some good conversation and time well spent.

 

Category:

The Brandon Valley Journal

 

The Brandon Valley Journal
1404 E. Cedar St.
Brandon, SD 57005
(605) 582-9999

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