Skinny arms, flabby elbows

And so I weed though the 11 not so fabulous emails and answer one that catches my eye.  The man writing is a Paramedic a few towns over.  It just so happens that I know someone else in that unit and assume they have to know each other.  I send him a little "hi ho" and ask if he knows so-and-so.  Fast forward to his reply, yes he does.  We start to chat.  He seems nice.  Normal.  I ask him if it is alright for me to ask so-and-so about him and he says it absolutely is.  Good.  I will see her in the morning and ask for a reference.  This I do and she tells me that he has already called her asking about me.  She gives him 500% approval.  Five hundred percent.  I HAVE to go out with this guy based on that!  We pick a day, time and place.  I make sure that it is a night that he has to work so that there is a set amount of time, just in case.  He arrives at the restaurant first and waits in the car.  I pull into the spot next to him and before I can unbuckle my seat belt my very own paramedic is out of his car, flowers in hand.  Is this normal date etiquette?  None of my other dates have brought me a bouquet of flowers before..... I thank him and put them right into my vehicle.  Don't want to draw attention to myself walking into this restaurant.  Already we are unbalanced.  I am in "date clothes" and he is in his paramedic get-up.  No biggie, I wanted to wear my new high heeled boots anyway and this seemed like the perfect opportunity!  We sit.  We are now face to face in a booth and there is no choice now but to make eye contact and talk.  This is what a date is about right?  But this man is a total stranger!  Geez!  Why did I agree to this again?  Oh right - 500%.  Order drinks (non alcoholic since he is going to be on call in an hour and a half and I don't want to look like a lush....).  I start to check him out.  Not bad looking.  A little short for my taste.  Clean fingernails.  Descent smile.  Skinny arms..... Okay, he's wearing a tee shirt tucked into work pants.  Not the most flattering or fashionable ensemble.  I understand though, he is going to work directly from our dinner.  Skinny arms...... UGH!  Stop it!  So what the guy has skinny arms.  He could be the most intellectual and intelligent man I have ever had the opportunity of sitting across from.  Order dinner.  He gets steak.  Manly man.  I opt for an open steak sandwich smothered in onions on garlic bread.  No shit, this is my order.  He just might be surprised since I am wearing a very girly lavender sweater, sparkly lip gloss and killer high heeled boots.  I hand the menu to the waitress with a sweet "thank you!" and turn my attention back to skinny arms.  We talk about ourselves.  We talk about our jobs.  We talk about our kids.  I do most of the talking.  He thinks I'm absolutely charming (I can tell) and lets me go on and on.  I realize after pausing for a breath that when I stop talking there is silence.  I test this new theory by telling another story and then taking a sip of my drink.  Silence.  Nervous silence.  Skinny arms is not good at starting the conversation so I take the heat off and ask him a question about his family.  This is fun.  I have the power to start and stop the conversation by closing my mouth for a few seconds.  I wonder if he notices my little game.  I don't let it get uncomfortable so I ask another question.  He is now cutting into his steak and my attention is drawn to his elbows.  They have been neatly tucked away up until now and I have had no reason to notice them before.  But now they might as well have neon signs saying HEY SPARKLY LIPS!  LOOK AT ME!!  Skinny arms has flabby elbows.  I will not elaborate on this fact.  It is what it is and I am happy that I ordered the garlic bread and onions........ Oh look at the time!  Skinny arms, flabby elbows (SAFE) has to skidaddle and get to work.  Check please!  Now I immediately reach for my bag and offer to pay my half.  SAFE is a gentleman and poo poos my gesture.  We get up and go outside where SAFE immediately lights up.  I guess he figures if I can eat onions and garlic bread then he can smoke a cigarette and even the score.  I thank him for dinner and the flowers and make a "brrrrr" it's cold comment and quickly get into my car.  He gives a wink and a wave and off I go.   I meet up with my office people for drinks at my favorite wine bar.  I am halfway into my BIG GLASS of sangria when the first text from SAFE buzzes on my phone.  He thanks me.  He had a great time and is hoping to see me again...... I am not sure what to do!  Answer?  Leave it be?  Great.  Text 2 comes not too long after that.  It simply says "hello?".  I think at first that maybe he is concerned that I got home safe.  I realize though that if I were on the side of the road in a firey crash he would have been amongst the first to know about it!  I answer "met some friends for drinks, thanks for dinner" or something random like that.  He is happy.  I should have a great time.  I should call him tomorrow.  I need another BIG GLASS of sangria..... I already know that this was the first and only date that I was going to go on with this man.  I feel badly about this but I see no point in wasting his or my time.  I am not attracted to SAFE and therefore see no reason for date 2. I drink some more and text the Greek.  Certainly this evening can still be salvaged!  Greek answers but is away and so I am left to salvage the evening without his help.  I retire my fabulous boots back into their box and remove the smoky lids.  I put on a girly movie and fall asleep without any trouble (thanks BIG GLASSES!)  Wake up to another text on my phone... "I had a great time.  What did you think about me?  Be honest.  Would  you go out with me again?".  Ummmm.  Okay.  Be honest.  I am not the kind of person who finds pleasure in hurting someone's feelings so I choose my words carefully.  "Had a nice time!  Thank you again for the flowers and for dinner.  I am really looking to meet new people and socialize a little bit after coming out of a long marriage.  I am not quite ready for anything romantic just yet....."  SEND.