#theplumber

Water heater in Mesa, AZ (602) 562-9998

The Plumber is a leading plumbing company in Mesa, AZ, and nearby areas, specializing in providing top-notch residential and commercial plumbing services. With a team of experienced professionals, we offer a wide range of solutions including slab leaks and drain repairs, installations, and maintenance. Committed to customer satisfaction, The Plumber is known for its prompt, reliable service and plumbing expertise.

Slab leak in Mesa, AZ (602) 562-9998

The Plumber is a leading plumbing company in Mesa, AZ, and nearby areas, specializing in providing top-notch residential and commercial plumbing services. With a team of experienced professionals, we offer a wide range of solutions including slab leaks and drain repairs, installations, and maintenance. Committed to customer satisfaction, The Plumber is known for its prompt, reliable service and plumbing expertise.

Plumber in Mesa, AZ (602) 562-9998

The Plumber is a leading plumbing company in Mesa, AZ, and nearby areas, specializing in providing top-notch residential and commercial plumbing services. With a team of experienced professionals, we offer a wide range of solutions including slab leaks and drain repairs, installations, and maintenance. Committed to customer satisfaction, The Plumber is known for its prompt, reliable service and plumbing expertise.

Drain Cleaning in Mesa, AZ (602) 562-9998

The Plumber is a leading plumbing company in Mesa, AZ, and nearby areas, specializing in providing top-notch residential and commercial plumbing services. With a team of experienced professionals, we offer a wide range of solutions including slab leaks and drain repairs, installations, and maintenance. Committed to customer satisfaction, The Plumber is known for its prompt, reliable service and plumbing expertise.

Plumber Near me in Mesa, AZ (602) 562-9998 The Plumber is a leading plumbing company in Mesa, AZ, and nearby areas, specializing in providing top-notch residential and commercial plumbing services. With a team of experienced professionals, we offer a wide range of solutions including slab leaks and drain repairs, installations, and maintenance. Committed to customer satisfaction, The Plumber is known for its prompt, reliable service and plumbing expertise.

We went to the Paramount Club and the boys got drinks and my sister and I got an area with chairs. I wanted to have a 4-way conversation, but the alcohol levels in my friends had my sister chatting it up with me, and her husband chatting it up with the Plumber. Occasionally our conversations would cross-match. When the Plumber went to the bathroom, my sister turned to me and said “I like him!” which expectedly, made me happy and thought: okay fine, maybe this could work?Straight No Chaser was an all-male acapella band. I saw them the prior year with some friends, days after Christmas and had a wonderful time. This year, I was bringing the Plumber, and my sister and her husband. It was a double date – first time to spend with my people and the Plumber.

Funny thing about dating: while I was still trying to figure out how I felt about the Plumber, I still cared how he felt about me. I knew I liked him, I just wasn’t sure if it was enough to want to be in a relationship with him. I waited until the day after Christmas, the day before the show, to get plans from him. Are we meeting up for dinner or drinks beforehand? A group or just us?

He suggested I went to his house, and he would make dinner. I knew he enjoyed cooking, so I was excited to see what he would whip up. He was running a tad late, and I showed up to his place with Christmas presents. I know I know - 5th date and presents? I just love Christmas like I said – and I just got some socks with little running men on them (he was a runner) and (2) baking sheets. When I went to his place the night of the bloody foot, he made the squash on a strip of foil – not owning any baking sheets. Maybe this should have been a flag.

He opened the gift and appeared to enjoy them, but I don’t think he actually said thank you – I didn’t expect a gift in return at all, but was surprised he didn’t acknowledge this imbalance. Is it a bitchy thing to have assumed at least a “thanks – but I didn’t get you anything” or something? Rather just a “cool – right on” style of a response. What was the cherry on top was he said, “so I haven’t gone grocery shopping, so we’re going to have to eat out.”

Say what?!

I thought we would do our separate thing because he was cooking. At this rate, I was a bit annoyed that I thought: well why not just meet up with my sister then? Now I was looking for any reason to expedite any loss of interest, such as him changing our dinner plans and not even coming up with a place to eat.

I suggested Urbana, a couple blocks from the Paramount. I called the Lyft and we headed there and sat at the bar. He was watching TV mainly, and I was enjoying my drink. We weren’t dead silent, but it did feel like I was out with a different guy than the night at the Moore where he took my breath away with his charm. It was even different than the squirrely guy I went out with a year ago – just so different. I was getting antsy and just wanted to meet up with my friends.

We walked over to the sushi place of our second date and met with my people. My sister and her husband got a sitter and were several beers in, just laughing and having a great time. They were a fun couple and the juxtaposition made it more evident I wasn’t enjoying the Plumber’s company as much as I had hoped. I know that kind of banter may take time, but even as individuals, my sister and her husband (a friend of mine I introduced her to) were just happy fun, laughing chatty people. They were so nice and welcoming to the Plumber, and he was simply awkward. I had a feeling he was socially awkward and tried to brush it off, but it was clear that night.

They were at a 2-top and I slid next to my sister on the booth side; the Plumber got on his knees next to my brother-in-law. That was a bit nice, and somewhat friendly to see him squat and chat. As we left, I was chatting with my sister and I saw the Plumber pretend to mirror our gossip demeanor with the brother which showed some humorous attempt to connect – I appreciated that.

We went to the Paramount Club and the boys got drinks and my sister and I got an area with chairs. I wanted to have a 4-way conversation, but the alcohol levels in my friends had my sister chatting it up with me, and her husband chatting it up with the Plumber. Occasionally our conversations would cross-match. When the Plumber went to the bathroom, my sister turned to me and said “I like him!” which expectedly, made me happy and thought: okay fine, maybe this could work?

As the lights dimmed signaling show time, we started walking away and the Plumber ran back to the bar – my assumption was to take a shot by himself. He said he went to get water, and I saw clear liquid in his cup. Of course, I wasn’t sure if I was 4 shots of vodka. The Plumber told me, “your brother in law is loud” and immediately I was irritated with the comment. “He’s just excited.” Not in a belligerent way, but like a kid explaining about toy robots – my brother was grinning ear to ear as he was trying to bond with the Plumber, and the Plumber’s respond was that he was loud. It wasn’t in a rude way, just objective. Still, I was objectively not amused.

Throughout the show I could hear my sister and her husband laughing and enjoying the show, but I couldn’t tell if the Plumber was. It was okay – acapellla Christmas shows may not be his thing. He laughed a little at some of the humor – it was just a clear dichotomy. I felt like that fun social girl who brought a quiet guy and had to in turn, quiet herself to match his level.

The show was over and my sister offered us both rides. How many stops? I didn’t want to ask or assume, nor did I care enough honestly. I just didn’t want any awkwardness. The Plumber signaled that we could both be dropped off at his house. This was our 5th date and we still hadn’t slept together. Was I nervous? Excited? I was just confused as to how I felt about him.

We got into bed and he gave me the body language he just wanted to go to bed. When we started kissing, he asked me if I brought my toothbrush. Wow – I was mortified. Of course I didn’t – I hadn’t expected to stay the night!

“Want to borrow mine?” WOW! Was my breath that gross?? This hadn’t happened the last times I stayed over at his house! I said that was unsanitary – then he suggested, “you can use your finger?” I was … again mortified. I felt like a kid with bad hygiene with how passive aggressive he was about me brushing my teeth. What was stranger was we’ve had slumber parties several times and this is the first I noticed this.

I went to the bathroom and did the teenage slumber party exercise of putting toothpaste on my finger and rubbing it around. Talk about a mood killer. I got back into bed with him and at least he didn’t say some crap like “ah much better!” – that would have been the cherry on top.

He made some comment about me being sexy and asked if I felt sexy. That was a segue for him to tell me he didn’t feel sexy, and his stomach wasn’t feeling great. This was the universal hint that we were not having sex. I got flashbacks of Ben who after the cheating incident kept finding excuses to not get it on with me. This was not awesome for a woman’s ego. With the Plumber, I just shrugged it off as my feelings for him still lived in purgatory.

The next morning, he gave me a ride home and said thank you for the presents and we kissed goodbye. Since then our texts started slowing down. A few days later I went to Cabo for a complete unplug and found myself not missing him. It was New Year’s Eve, and I grew guilty I hadn’t reached out in a few days, so I texted him asking if he had any plans.

He responded back the next day telling me he hung out with friends – delayed, and not asking what I did in return. I was annoyed – I felt guilty, yet it seemed he wasn’t interested in communicating with me either so I didn’t respond. It wasn’t a rational feeling, this feeling of annoyance. It’s very likely he was indifferent as I was. My annoyance may have simply stemmed from a bruised ego.

I texted 2 days later with “Nice” to be responsive. He asked me how my ankle was since he saw I was on crutches. I posted a 2017 year in review, and it was a picture of me on crutches from the Women’s March in January – a year after. I wrote it in the caption – but he must not have picked up on it. I grew mean as in my head I thought: are you serious? You can’t tell the difference between a #tbt photo and real-time? These irritable instincts were signs the dating could be coming to an end.

I found myself starting to log back onto dating apps and swiping again, and talking to other guys. I felt a huge weight had been lifted off my chest – that I was emotionally and mentally okay to move on to the next person, and retire the Plumber. But first, I’d have to get closure – eventually.

-December 27, 2017