Pretty medic bikey guy and I walked together towards our respective homes after the shift. I dropped a comment about having mentioned to someone that he was pretty (it was basically in context), and moved on to other topics. I was pretty sure he wasn’t interested.
He got off on this tangent about how he was good at letting people he was attracted to know, but bad at telling people he wasn’t attracted to that he wasn’t. He said that he liked having things out in the open. And that he hated stringing guys along, but he had no idea of a good way to do it. I shared my abyssmal handling of tactlessly letting my ex-roomie, Mr Starkey, know I wasn’t interested, and went off on the Miss Manners tangent about casual dating vs marriage, and how there is no way to handle romantic and sexual interests without causing some pain.
Right before we parted ways, he started making the point that he much preferred to be confronted about such things. I had already resolved that at our parting of the ways, I would discuss it. And so I did. I cut right to the chase. I told him I assumed that he liked me, but wasn’t attracted to me. He pretty much confirmed. I smiled and wished him pleasant dreams, and walked home, standing tall, no looking back.
It was one of those hard to summon smiles, but it wasn’t entirely show. And I figured better to smile than to express disappointment. I understand that sort of situation from both sides, and there really is no no way to get out without some hurt feelings. Rather than give him something about which he would feel bad, why not let it go?
Disappointing, but not unexpected. And, realistically, I think we can each find much better matches both sexually and romantically. Ah well.