Engage Maverick Engage..!!!!!!

Taking you back to 1986 when Tom Cruise, Kenny Loggins, and Top Gun made aviators cool and shirtless volleyball games even cooler. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, STOP. Go rent Top Gun, take the time to ponder the message, and then come back. You know I'll be here. It's mighty cold and might dark. I sure ain't going outside...
My title is a reference to the scene in Top Gun where Maverick, still recovering from the death of his RIO Goose, finds himself outnumbered, and in the middle of a dogfight with the latest Russian Mig (which all my fellow nerds are saying to themselves, that's no Mig, its a T38 Talon).

Anyways, Maverick, blaming himself and his reckless flying for the death of his best friend Goose, has lost his nerve. Or edge, or mojo... Whatever you want to call it. In training dogfights, he just quits and walks away much to the chagrin of his comrades. (probably shouldn't have said comrades since he's fighting Russians)

Eventually, however, something clicks inside of him, he gets back on the saddle, dives into the fight, and sends the commies back to the motherland.

Getting back on the saddle isn't always easy... I can remember several times when I'd been out of the game for a period of time and getting back in was really difficult. The first long hiatus I took was for a period of a little over two and a half years. No dating, no parties, nothing. Just work. I didn't think like a guy on the prowl. I'd turned into an old man and didn't know it. Luckily I had some very good friends who helped to get me back into the game. I remember, one night, as we were about to go out. I'd gotten all dressed and cleaned up and was about to leave with the boys when my friend Mike stopped me dead in my tracks and said, "Dude, at least untuck your shirt..." I didn't realize until that moment, that the button down shirt, khakis, and dress shoes I was wearing, made me look like a dad. I untucked the shirt, grabbed one of my trusty casual jackets or vests (can't remember which, but we're talking about one of the big poofy outdoor vests that were in style at the time)

The next time occurred a couple of years later. I'd been in a very serious relationship with the same girl for almost a year when it abruptly came to an end. Having been out of the game for sometime, I floundered a bit. I'd forgotten how to do it. Luckily, I was once again surrounded with great friends; cheerleaders from the university I was going to. They were kind of like little sisters to me, and seeing my dilemna, took it upon themselves to help me. They hooked me up with one of their freshmen cheerleaders, a girl with dark hair and eyes that smiled when she smiled (I only mentioned that because I think great smiles are rare, and this girl had a million dollar smile that lit up the room) Oh yeah, and she was curvey and smokin hot too. Still at that fun, carefree age, and impressed by my age and social stature, I was making out with her in the parking lot the same night of our first introduction and many subsequent nights after that. Hate to use the term "friends with benefits" or "booty call friend"..........ok no I don't.... but that's what we ended up being. That girl was like a healing balm to me, and night after night she eventually restored my waning mojo. To this day, I consider her one of my favorite people and dearest friends from college, and I will always be grateful to her.

Now fast forward to the present. The big "D" happened a little over a year ago. During it, I became fat ass. After the papers were signed, I hung out with a few girls. Probably hooked up with six since the signing (including the ex a few times) But still haven't quite been able to get back on the horse.

When I go to parties, I still clam up, get nervous and look for emergency exits. In setups or one on ones, I'm not that much better. Kinda in a weird place in life, and so its really hard to make conversation. Bert has tried to help a few times, but for some reason, his setups feel like that time when we took our dog to the breeder and four or five of us sat out there in the back yard waiting for them to mate.

On Sunday, Bert invited me over to his lady's parent's house for Sunday dinner. Didn't know that they had also invited one of his girl's friends in hopes of some sort of setup. The friend was actually cute too. Really cute. My smooth line of the night was, after I found out we lived in the same apartment complex, "Oh yeah? You guys have really good parking out by your building. Much better than mine...."

Smooth like buttah right?

14 years ago, I was at a charity banquet with my dad where Miss America was the guest of honor. When I saw her, I thought she was really cute. I didn't see the sash, the big head table or the mayor sitting next to her. I just saw a cute girl that I wanted to meet. So I got up, walked over to the band, asked for a special number, walked up in front of all those people, and asked her to dance. It wasn't a dancing event at all. I made it one. She said yes, I escorted her down near the band, and in front of several thousand people, I danced with Miss America. Cool girl. *on a side note, several years later, I was talking to a buddy who was friends with a beauty pageant queen. The girl was friends with Miss America, and related a story to my buddy, told to her by Miss America, about a time when she was at a banquet and this guy asked her to dance in front of everyone, and how cool it was.

That was me 14 years ago. The me now, makes comments about a young lady's excellent selection of parking stalls behind her building and leaves parties after 20 minutes and a whole lotta flop sweat. I really hope I can figure out how to get back on the horse soon.

Anyways... here you go folks. Hope it'll work some magic....