Cowboy Mixin'

I have to tell you a funny story. On Saturday, a friend invited me to a mixer/birthday party. I think I'm getting too old for mixer parties. A bunch of people, mostly single, who don't know each other, celebrating someone's birthday that they don't know. But, I cowgirled up, dragged another friend along, and kept a positive attitude knowing these things can sometimes be interesting and fun.

After we arrived and got a drink, the friend who invited me informs me she'd gotten a text from a guy that she had invited to the mixer since he was single, and he was stopping by. She also warned me this was the guy she went on one date with a month previously and didn't click with, but thought I might be interested in, and she wanted to set us up. She suggested this to me this via email, but I was a bad friend and forgot to reply. Luckily, she had never mentioned me or her idea to him, so he didn't know who I was.

The guy shows up and he is pretty short, maybe 5'5". Not a huge deal for me, as I'm 5'3". He is outgoing, a California Boy, has a job with a great company. Throughout the night, my other friend and I chatted him up a bit off and on. Neither of us clicked or were interested, but he was fun to talk to.

At some point California Boy told us he plays soccer a lot. And I told him that I use to play too, maybe seven years ago. He asked why I didn't play anymore and I told him I didn't really know, but that I have a horse now and that takes up my time and money. He said oh- my dad was a jockey! That was intriguing. We talked a little about the Preakness. His dad doesn't ride anymore, but still works at Santa Anita.

Anyway, to make a long story short (I can't tell short stories- not in my genetic makeup) he then tells us that the irony of his dad being a jockey is that he is very, very, allergic to horses. Like swells up something awful if he gets near them or someone that has been. He said when he was little, his dad would get in the car and if he hadn't washed up from riding, it would really affect him. Wow.

As we left the party and said goodbye to my friend, she asked what I thought of California Boy. I laughed and said he was a nice guy, but allergic to horses. She got a chuckle out of that one, trying to set up her only cowgirl friend with a guy allergic to horses! Of course, that hadn't come up in their one-date conversation.

A guy who has no interest in horses is one thing, but a guy that physically can't be around them is another. At least with the first option, I have a chance of converting them, as so many of you out there have done.

Besides, I have a feeling that Tracey from The Mustang Diaries might someday set me up with a Mustang horse whisperer. I just know it.......