As we were leaving, Orlando assured me again, you re going to love it. He also explained that from t

I had told myself and others that I was going to take time off to concentrate on myself for once. Between a husband and three boys, I didn't know who I was anymore. I just wanted to hang out with my girlfriends, drink martinis like a fish, and let the hair grow long on my legs if I wanted. I had even gone so far as to announce to my friends that I was going to take a full year off from any kind of relationship.
By the time I made it through customs in Nassau it was after one in the afternoon. I was dead tired and hungry. The International Player greeted me with roses. It was impossible not to smile. His smile was infectious, and I loved the gesture of the roses.
He introduced the tall Bahamian as Giant who took my bag and started walking us out of the airport. As we exited the terminal onto the drive, I looked for indications that the vehicle I was about to get into was actually an official taxi/shuttle service. Apparently, all of the taxis in The Bahamas are supposed to have gold license plates. However, I had also noticed that you can buy old Bahamian taxi plates on eBay, so really, anyone who wanted to could pretend to be an official driver.
I had an experience in Rome about ten years ago where I almost got into an imposter taxi in busy traffic on the Via del Corso. The only thing that stopped me was that I recognized the guy as the same lunatic who had harassed my incessantly on the street about two weeks before.
We rode along a winding road for about an hour to Nassau. I was so tired I thought my head would explode, coupon for dollar rent a car but the three of us laughed and made conversation along the way, talking mostly about my blog. The International Player told Giant about how he had contacted me through my blog, and I commented that I still couldn t quite believe that I was now on a date , a three day one, in The Bahamas. Pretty coupon for dollar rent a car crazy.
Giant dropped us off at my hotel. I was too early to check into my room, so I would have to wait a few more hours to sleep. In the meantime, The International Player and I decided to set up our activities for the next day with Orlando, the hotel s tour concierge.
Orlando was a big, funny guy. He explained the different island tours we could take the following day. The International Player wanted to book a tour that basically went to an island where we could lie on the beach, coupon for dollar rent a car but that hardly seemed worth it when the beach was right outside my hotel room. Orlando suggested we go to the Dolphin Encounter.
No problem, ma am. I did it and I don t know how to swim, he replied in a thick Bahamian accent. (Orlando would be the first of many Bahamians I met who don t know how to swim.) He opened the picture file on his laptop and showed me pictures from his trip to the Dolphin coupon for dollar rent a car Encounter. I went by myself for my birthday, and had a great time, he explained, you re on a platform about three feet below the water surface. Trust me. You will love it. You don t have to swim.
Ok. Let s do that, I said. I got the feeling that Man #42 really wanted coupon for dollar rent a car to whisk me away to a secluded beach, presumably to feel me up, instead of playing with dolphins, but I explained to him that I come from Scandinavian descent and the land where it rains nine months out of the year. There s only so much time I can spend in the sun before I look like a piece of boiled shellfish. Orlando and I convinced The International Player that the Dolphin Encounter was the way to go, and we scheduled our trip for ten thirty the following morning.
As we were leaving, Orlando assured me again, you re going to love it. He also explained that from the hotel I could walk left along the beach to the fish fry, right to downtown and the straw market, but stay out of the neighborhood directly to the east as it was not safe. Furthermore, coupon for dollar rent a car if anyone tries to sell you anything, tell them to talk to me.
The International Player suggested we go to the fish fry to find some food and by the time we got back, maybe I would be able to check into my room. He had summoned Giant again, who arrived in a pimped out Escalade with the music bumping to drive us down to the fish fry, a fifteen minute walk away. I got the feeling that some extraordinary measures were being made to impress me, and I reminded myself that Man #42 was only twenty-two. His ideas about what impresses a woman are probably based on his experiences with twenty-two year old girls and music videos, not forty-five year old women.
We arrived at Twin Brothers, flossin and bossin in the Escalade. (I should note that I didn t know this slang before I checked with my 18-year-old advisor, K2.) Giant opened the door for me and a woman from the restaurant rushed out to greet me. Rollin hella G, as I was. I am a minor celebrity after all. She was immediately encroaching on my personal space. The International Playa was off having a quick conversation with Giant. I figured they were probably making plans for later that night, and although I was still not feeling completely comfortable in my surroundings, I was happy to finally coupon for dollar rent a car be at a place where I could get some food and relax for a bit.
Shit. The barrage of questions was more than my tired ass could take. Oh thank you. They re hematite, I said touching my ears, On the porch please. The sun was already hurting my bloodshot, unacclimated Seattle eyes. She left two menus on the table and explained the offerings. She was a lot to handle after 31 hours of no sleep, but I liked her energy.
Based on Elder Baud s recommendation, I told The International Player I had to order the conch (pronounced conk) fritters and a sky juice , a strong combination of gin, sweetened condensed milk, and coconut water. I m not a gin drinker. Unless it s Hendrick s , I can t stand the stuff. However, I m not going to turn my nose up at something I ve never tried before, and if someone makes a recommendation for a local favorite, coupon for dollar rent a car I m going to try it even if it s outside my comfort zone. That s just how I roll.
While we sat there The International Player explained that he was normally just waking up by mid-afternoon. He partied all night and then slept until it was time to get up and party again. Impressive? Not. It was another reminder of the age difference and the things one finds important at different stages of one s life. We discussed what we might do that evening. Karaoke? (Remember; coupon for dollar rent a car he d read my blog.) Dancing? What?
Well, if I m going to be any fun, I m going to need a power nap, I said. We decided he would walk  me back to my hotel room, let me rest for a couple of hours, and then we would go out somewhere, destination still undetermined. This was hard for me. These kids these days. I m a planner. I like to know where I m going. I can roll with the punches, but knowing what you re going to do can help with things like how dressed up you want to be, what shoes to wear, etc. However, I decided I was fine being totally in the dark. I was there for my date, and I was open to a variety of possibilities. Que sera, sera.
Giant and the Escalade had disappeared, (I guess I was no longer a baller) so we walked back to my hotel room. I said goodbye to The International Player at my door. He said he d be back around 8 p.m. to pick me up.
Ok. I needed to sleep fast. I whipped my clothes coupon for dollar rent a car off, threw on my nightgown, and crawled into bed. I fell into the deepest sleep I think I have ever had. It s a wonder I didn t end up in a coma. I set my alarm for 7:30 p.m. to get up and shower before going out. It was late Saturday afternoon and I was still carrying around Friday s travel grime after all.
My cell phone alarm jolted me awake at 7:30, and I laid there contemplating the massive pain in my head. There was no way two hours of sleep could make up for the eight I should have had. Between coupon for dollar rent a car the pain in my head and the greasy conch fritters I was afraid I would hurl. I hauled myself into the shower, dressed in a white sequin tank top, jeans, flat sandals, and my olive green motorcycle-styled jacket. (Nights in The Bahamas in February are cool.)
The plan was to go to The Atlantis so The International Player could withdraw some money and then we would go out on the town, but we ended up staying at The Atlantis. First, we wondered around looking at everything. The aquarium was very impressive, but I have to say, I don t understand if the point of your vacation is to go to The Bahamas why would you stay at The Atlantis? It s like Vegas but in The Bahamas. It s dark, filled with over-priced shops, drunk American tourists, and the clanging, dinging sounds of video slot machines.
Like I said, the aquarium was awesome. We stopped and had a drink at The Moon Club where two men were performing. Armed with only a guitar and their voices, coupon for dollar rent a car they were really good. It was a relaxing, grown up atmosphere, and I liked sitting there listening to the music.
After a while, The International Player and I moved on to Dragon s Ultra Lounge, which is just off the casino floor. It has a dance floor and a deejay. I ordered an old-fashioned coupon for dollar rent a car and #42 ordered a Bahama Mama. I soon came to realize that The International Player had a thing for sweet, foo foo drinks. While I was sipping bourbon, he was drinking juicy drinks.
While we sat in a booth, he kept telling me I was beautiful, coupon for dollar rent a car and it made me feel self-conscious. What could a twenty-two year old possibly see in my middle-aged, overweight ass? I m was sitting there looking out at the dance floor at girls his age in tight mini dresses and platform heels, and I couldn t figure it out. What did he possibly want with me?
Don t worry, I said, Guys my age aren t interested in me, and I motioned my head toward an old white guy with what had to be a very young Bahamian prostitute. He was trying to get her to sit on his lap.
Whenever The International Player coupon for dollar rent a car complimented me, all I could say was, thank you. I didn t know what else to say. I kept trying coupon for dollar rent a car to analyze it in my head and nothing was computing. My hang-up, I know, but I couldn t work it out.
The music at Dragon s Ultra Lounge was