No thanks! I’m married

By Julie

A man I had met during a business trip last year called me up the other day. I was pleasantly surprised by the courtesy call.

I had helped him shop a few clothes for his girlfriend during the trip and my choices must have impressed his woman.

“Yes, we could meet sometime.” I told him.

Of course I’m busy over weekends. I have a family. Unless I’m going out shopping, weekends now happen to fall under family time. If I’m attending a wedding, then my family tags along. If I am travelling, then I’m bringing over my other half. Unless it is work-related in which case I have to plan for it for some while to allow my hubby to readjust his plans.

Wrong company

And to watch football? With a single man? That was dangerous. Number one I would get to meet his peeps, probably get introduced, and checked out. Secondly that would have to be at a sports bar — a very public place where I was likely to bump into anyone who knew me as a married woman who doesn’t care a mite about football. How was I to explain to them what I was doing around a table with football wenches, minus hubby?

That wasn’t going to cut.

Of course, what I should have been saying was: “You know what? I’m married.”

But I wasn’t going to do that on a phone conversation because the guy was only asking me out to a drink and a football game, not proposing to me!

But you don’t ask other men’s wives to a football game with your peeps.

It would have been easier on a face-to-face encounter. You just swing your left hand his way long enough for him to gather that you are a married woman.

But you know what I did? I lied. That I would call him up the next week and confirm my availability. If he calls back to confirm our date, I will just come up with another excuse, or stress that we meet for a cuppa, after which my hubby will drop by to pick me. Or I will just come up with a story about how I am travelling to see my mum-in-law. Who has mums-in-law apart from married folks?