‘Did you know the wine shop around the corner holds tastings on Saturdays?’

‘No.’

‘I go all the time.’

‘I haven’t been to a wine-tasting in ages.’

‘We should go sometime.’

‘Sure.’

*

That was the conversation.  Innocent enough, right?

It was between me and a person I have only vaguely known for a few years.  I usually see him a few times a week in the course of my usual routine.  We’ve always been friendly but I don’t know his surname.

I agreed to go.  I did, I’ll admit it.  I haven’t been to a wine-tasting in years; thought it might be fun.

It was only after I agreed that the red flags started to appear.  From the vague distant waving to full on sirens and get the hell out of here.

The next day(after I’d agreed) he asked what I was doing on Friday.  I said relaxing.  He then told me I’d be spending Friday hanging out at his place.  I declined.  My decline was then declined.  Three times.  Needless to say I didn’t go.

I did go to the wine-tasting today though.

For it’s part, the actual wine-tasting was good.  I sampled six wines.  Three white and three red.   All were quite nice.  But… I don’t drink(usually).  I have no aversion to drinking, I just don’t particularly like alcohol.  Why did I want to go to a wine tasting?  Simply to learn – so I can pick out a bottle of something when I go to friends’ for dinner without looking like an idiot.

We met at the shop.  He arrived shortly after I did.  Immediately after the general hellos, he tells me he’s going to grab a bottle of white and a bottle of red and we’re going to go drink them afterward.  Really?  I was under the impression I was going to a wine-tasting not an afternoon of drinking at his flat.  I mean, I barely know him.

He then tells the wine guy that I want to sample white wines.  Do I?  He never asked me.  I correct and say I’ll sample all six.  When we’ve sample all and chatted  for a bit, he asked which wine I wanted him to buy so we can go back to his place for a drink.  I decline and reiterate that I don’t really drink.  A short time later he buys his wine(for him alone) and we leave.  He says we’ll just go for a walk.  (I am horrifically suspicious by this point). And I should be.  Where do we walk to?  Oh, that’s right – his place.   Again, he asks me to come up.  Tells me the various drinks, cups of tea or home brewed cold remedies(I have a cough) he’ll make me if I do.  I decline again.  Say I enjoyed the wine-tasting; thanks for recommending it and I leave.   He calls out for me to call him later.  Nope.  Not going to do that.

Is it just me or was this all rather presumptuous and a little creepy?

I never thought of this as a date.  I just thought of it as a friendly outing.  Was I wrong?   And even if I was wrong, is this the way people behave on dates now?

Oh and to top it all off – I don’t think he even knows my name.  He’s never used it.

So how was your Saturday?