Matchmaker, Matchmaker (Don't Friggin' Burn Me)

I'm not sure if it's because people are selfish or they don't want to get involved or they don't want to see someone else happy... but very rarely does anyone stick their neck out to try to play matchmaker in this day and age.  I think with all that could go wrong (remind me to tell you how one coffee date turned into a 5+ year stalking incident, complete with drive-bys and cult suicide letter), people don't want to be blamed, and that's understandable.  Last night, said interaction occurred when a friend of mine  and a friend of hers set their gay friends up on a date. 

It's been so long since I've been on a 'proper' date.  Since the majority of guys that I've dated over the last couple of years have all been in their 20's, dates usually include me deciding on where to go (usually to a place that has video games and some sort of colored ball pit and a costumed mascot walking around handing out balloons), picking them up (since they don't have a vehicle or have a DUI or 5), paying for it (and packing the leftovers for their lunch the next day) and driving them home only to have to tuck them in and leave a glass of warm milk.  Ok, so I'm exaggerating... they only usually have 3 DUI's.

Last night, he picked the place and the time and I showed up.  He was bathed and had a pressed, button-down shirt on and was my age.  He had a job, a car, a house and a pet (that didn't live in a habitrail by his bed).  There were tablecloths on the tables and no bibs to be seen.  We chatted about various adult topics and had a ton in common... conversation flowed and there wasn't any video games played on any phones, no impromtu re-doses of Ritalin table-side and no crayons scattered about.  The restaurant closed and we hadn't even noticed that we were the last ones in there.  He paid for dinner completely... I didn't leave the tip or have to swap him any Legend of Zelda trading cards.  When we got to our cars, he presented me with a boquet of pink roses and greenery that was stunning, and probably the first time that anyone has ever done that on a first date with me in my whole 25 year gay career.  I didn't have to wait there for him to smoke a cigarette while he thumbed through text messages.  What was this odd occurance?  Could this possibly be what a date has been about all this time?  Whatever it was, I liked it, and he was not only handsome, but polite, smart and charming as well.

I haven't dated someone my own age in so long, I don't even know what that looks like in my mind.  No playing games in their frat-house apartment with other youngsters lying about drinking... no lying on their bed (mattress sitting on the floor) listening to some music I've never heard before... no sitting there watching them play Xbox.  And yet, I totally forget what a normal relationship looks like.  In my twenties and thirties, when I was hanging out with older friends having 8 course dinner parties, I acted much older then than now... in my khaki pants and plaid button-downs and slip-on loafers.  Maybe I was living life backwards?  Did I blow my serious relationship load in my late twenties and mid thirties?  Or maybe do I think that I don't deserve anything better than what I've had lately? 

I'm looking forward to our next date and getting to know him (and me) better.