6

Number: 6
Name: Tom
Date: July 11, 2013

Tom is an awesome guy, a member of my LDS Young Single Adult ward, and he also happens to be another one of my home-teachers.  When Tom asked if there was anything he, as my home teacher, could do to help me out, I casually responded that he could take me on a date to help me achieve my 100 date challenge.  Tom responded very enthusiastically that if it meant helping me get to Brazil he would be willing to take me on a date whether he was my home teacher or not.  (See what I mean?  Great guy!)

Tom could probably write the book on how to treat a girl like a lady.  He arrived on time, picked me up at my door, opened the car door for me . . .the whole works.  He had previously checked with me to see if I liked Cafe Rio (For the record, it is probably in my top five favorite places to eat, maybe even my top three!) and he had a fun activity planned.

But we'll get to that.  First: if you've never been to Cafe Rio, get thee to one immediately and order a pork-barbacoa burrito enchilada style.  It will change your life.  (Also,you now have knowledge of one of my greatest weaknesses.  If you ever want to get on my good side . . .*wink*)  As Tom and I ate/devoured our burritos we got to know each other. We talked about our missions, our education, our families, our favorite foods, etc.  Tom served his mission in Canada and is studying psychology at BYU.  He just hiked to Havasupai at the beginning of July (which was kinda crazy, but kinda awesome) and is getting ready to go visit Europe with his family in a couple months.

Pool-style trick shot.  Believe it or not, that actually went in!

After dinner we went mini-golfing at Trafalga.  Tom apologize for planning such a cliché activity, but the truth is I have never been to Trafalga and I haven't been mini-golfing on a date before (gasp!) so it wasn't at all cliché for me.  Especially the way we played.

Let me just start by saying that I am a terrible mini-golfer.  (I lost spectacularly to Tom by quite a bit as proof of that.)  But, then again, we weren't playing by the conventional rules of mini-golf.  Tom has an extra rule: If you can sink the ball using a "trick shot," you take one stroke off your score.  Trick shots can be almost anything unconventional or creative: pool style, croquet style, left handed, between the legs, etc.  So, hypothetically, if you got a hole-in-one on a trick shot, you could actually get a zero for that hole (Which I did once!!!  Croquet style!  It was my big accomplishment of the day!)

It was quite the game.  While we drove home afterward we talked about the movies we have seen this summer, which ones were good and which ones weren't.  (Seriously, don't even get me started on Man of Steel.)  We talked about how bad we both are at mini-golf (me more than him) and how awesome our Young Single Adult ward is.  We talked about our favorite board games and card games and group games and how someone really needs to start game nights or Disney movie nights on Sunday evenings in our ward.

When we got to my house, Tom walked me to my door (See? Perfect gentleman.)  Everything from the Cafe Rio to the mini-golfing to the conversation was really enjoyable.  So, Tom, if you are reading this: well done, my friend!  Thanks again for a fabulous evening.