Late December 2013 I had been at my new job for just about 2 months. To be honest, I didn't get the feeling that my co-workers were my biggest fans. So I was surprised when I was invited to go with them to the movies one night. Alicia asked me if I wanted to go and I asked which movie. When I heard they were seeing Anchorman 2, I immediately said "thanks, but no thanks." Anchorman 2 is definitely not my normal movie choice. Then Alicia said "Well Megan, Mark really was hoping you would come." I replied, "The painter, Mark?" She said yes. I asked why he wanted me to go, she laughed and said "I don't know Megan, I think he likes you." Now, this actually surprised me, because I hadn't really noticed him showing any interest, but perhaps I was just oblivious. Instead of agreeing I just told her "If he wants me to come so bad he should come here and ask me himself."
About an hour or two later Mark shows up at the door to our offices. He opened the door and leaned his back against it. He did not come in, he did not turn his body to fully face me. Standing there sideways barely looking at me at all he said "So, are you coming with us to the movies tonight?" I explained to him that I wasn't really very interested in seeing Anchorman 2. To which he responded "Will you please come? For me." I agreed to go and told him "Only because you said please."
I worked until 7:00 that night and the movie started at about 9:00. So I went home between work and the movie and then met the group there about 15 minutes before showtime. We saw the movie at the Regal Theater in Brooklyn Center (which is now where Top Golf sits). I showed up for the movie in my big pink winter coat, a fact that Mark always remembered. Mark offered to buy my ticket, which I declined. Then he offered to buy me popcorn, candy or a drink, all of which I declined. For some reason, I rarely let Mark spend any money on me. He bought popcorn anyway, and I ordered my own drink. When we all went to sit down I was given the seat next to the aisle with Mark on my right. I recall sitting there being very aware of myself. I thought twice before I put my arm somewhere, I was careful where I leaned, and noticed that Mark seemed nervous. The conversation with the group turned to something that had happened at Applebee's earlier in the night. I looked at Mark and said "You all went to dinner before hand? I didn't get invited to that." He said "We did, but we figured you would want time to go home and get ready after work." Without even contemplating my response I just said "I didn't do anything to get ready." As soon as I said it, I realized that I probably hurt his feelings. He responded perfectly though and just said "Oh, well you still look really nice." Which made me feel even worse. After that we sat there pretty quietly for the duration of the movie. However, I did have to speak up when Mark almost spilled his entire bucket of popcorn in my lap. Like I said, he seemed nervous. After knowing Mark, and specifically knowing that he was always pretty lucky with the ladies I find it hilarious that he was nervous. But, I might have come off a bit intimidating. Or, as Mark would have said "She played hard to get."
When the movie ended he asked if he could walk me to my car, which I agreed to. Once we made it to my car he asked if he could hug me. I remember thinking it was an odd request, but agreed to that as well. When I gave him his hug I noticed that this man was way more buff than he appeared. I got into my car and drove off. About an hour later my phone went off. The text said it was from Mark. He had forgotten to ask for my number, but he hoped I didn't mind that Sarah had given it to him. For the next 24 hours, my phone kept going off, and it kept being Mark. This man asked me every question he could think of, from my favorite color to naming all of my hobbies. I wondered where the shy and quiet man I saw a movie with went. In all of those texts he asked if I would agree to go out to dinner with him the following Thursday, to which I said "I would think about it." The following Monday at work I received so many questions from my co-workers. Did I like Mark? Would I go out with him again? My favorite was "Megan, I just want to know if you like him, because if you get married I can tell people that I am a matchmaker from heaven." I didn't correct the phrase, and just thought "you guys are way ahead of yourselves here."
