The Blind Date by Karl Kramer

Brad walked up to the house and was still thinking about turning around and going back home. His cousin Bert had set up the date which was never a good sign. He loved Bert like a brother, but the man was a bit wacky at times.

Brad had gone through a divorce five years ago which made him decide to stay single for the rest of his life. Even his children begged him to start dating again as they wanted to see him happy. His daughter picked out his clothes while his son helped Dad with his dating habits. Brad thought it was funny but knew they both were only trying to help.

Brad walked up to the quaint two story house and rang the bell. He seemed a bit like a young teenager even though he was 45 years old. A man in his 70s answered the door and asked Brad to come inside. Brad figured out the old man was the father and followed him into the living room. "Honey, tell Princess that her date has arrived. You are going to like my Sally. She is a bit shy as this is her first date." Brad thought the man was joking and smiled along.

A man of about 50 walked by Brad and gave him a dirty look. "You are the one who wants to date my baby sister?" Brad nodded yes and stood up to introduce himself. He extended his hand only to be ignored by the man. "Now behave yourself, Jason. I have this covered." The man then left in a huff as Brad gave a puzzled look.

After a few minutes a woman in her 40s walked down the stairs and Brad stood up to greet her. She was quite attractive and was wearing a lovely green gown to go out in. "Brad, meet my daughter Sally." Brad extended then kissed Sally's hand as his son told him to do and the woman giggled. "Mom, get in here to stay with these kids while I get my coat" the old man yelled. The woman in her 70s entered the room and sat down on the sofa with her daughter.

The conversation consisted of the weather as Brad had a small part of the voice in his head yell for him to run. The old man returned and asked if the two youngsters were ready to go on their date. "I am ready, how about you Sally?" Brad extended his hand for Sally to take a hold of it and was surprised to see the old man following him. "We can take my car, young feller."

Brad stopped in his tracks as he realized the old man was going to chaperone the date. "With all due respect sir, I have dated before and am old enough to go on my own. I have been married and have two children who are now teenagers back at home. I can not only take care of myself, but I can take care of your daughter." The old man gave Brad a dirty look and yelled for him to get out.

Brad ran to his car and could only think of the many ways he was going to kill Bert. Sally started to cry as her father comforted her. "That young man had the gall to lie about being married and having kids. He is still a child himself." The son walked out and told his father: "I told you he was no good. Want me to go beat him up?" The father shook his head no as he brought his daughter into the house.

The mother told Sally she was still too young to go out on a first date for now. "Wait a few years and then we will try again." She saw her daughter upstairs and then sat down with her husband.

"They grow up so fast, don't they?" she asked.

"Too quickly if you ask me."