Second Date the Second Time Around

Here's a series of e-mails to set up our second date the second time around, which happened on Saturday, February 4, 2006:

from:		Mark Gresham <megresham@********>
to:		Amanda Pape <********@gmail.com>
date:		Mon, Jan 30, 2006, 5:24 PM
subject:		progress

I talked to my son last night, and he asked me to go sailing* with him next Saturday. He rarely asks me to do something with him. Perhaps I am making some progress.

 

I assumed that you would be working on Saturday, but I should have asked.

 

Talk to you later.

 

Mark

from:		Amanda Pape <********@gmail.com>
to:		Mark Gresham <megresham@********>
date:		Mon, Jan 30, 2006, 5:47 PM
subject:		Re: progress

Well, I am not working Saturday - at least not at the moment. ... However, I definitely think you should go sailing with your son!  Much as I would like to see you again - and as soon as possible.  IF (and only if) y'all finish up early and YOU are heading home ALONE - don't want to intrude on you and your son - and you aren't beat, I could meet you for dinner somewhere.  Lewisville* isn't too far from Grapevine (or Denton if I happen to be there).  You have my cell.  I can be ready on pretty short notice.

... I am wearing the earrings again today.  later - A

from:		Mark Gresham <megresham@********>
to:		Amanda Pape <********@gmail.com>
date:		Tue, Jan 31, 2006, 2:03 PM
subject:		Saturday

I want to make some time for us on Saturday. I'll leave Lewisville about 4 or 5 pm and call you then. Perhaps we can go to someplace in the area where we had lunch or someplace else that I can find without getting too lost.

 

Let me know what you think.

 

Mark

from:		Amanda Pape <********@gmail.com>
to:		Mark Gresham <megresham@********>
date:		Tue, Jan 31, 2006, 3:03 PM
subject:		Re: Saturday

I'm torn between dying to see you again and not wanting to screw up anything with your son ....  As you said, his inviting you to go sailing with him at all is great progress. ...

 

Why don't we play it by ear Saturday?  You might be having a great time with Drew (right name?) and y'all might want to have dinner together.  But if not--well, I'll either be in Denton or Grapevine (probably the latter), and we can connect pretty quickly - just call. ...

from:		Mark Gresham <megresham@********>
to:		Amanda Pape <*********@gmail.com>
date:		Tue, Jan 31, 2006, 8:52 PM
subject:		Re: Saturday

I plan to be in Lewisville by 9:30am. He will probably have something planned with his girlfriend for later on (I've learned that much about him) and he will be ready for me to be gone.

 

Plan on my call. I really want to see you.

 

Mark

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There was at least one phone conversation between the e-mails above and the one below, where we talked about possible places to meet.  Mark had given his 22-foot Catalina sailboat, The Wagon, to his son Drew in 2002, and Drew had it in a marina near where he was living in Lewisville, which is roughly between Grapevine and Denton.

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from:		Mark Gresham <megresham@*********>
to:		Amanda Pape <*********@gmail.com>
date:		Thu, Feb 2, 2006, 3:35 PM
subject:		Saturday

Did we decide where to meet on saturday? How about the Main Street Blues Room**? Or any other place that you would like. Let me know.

 

Mark

from:		Amanda Pape <********@gmail.com>
to:		Mark Gresham <megresham@*********>
date:		Thu, Feb 2, 2006, 3:42 PM
subject:		Re: Saturday

I thought we decided to meet in the parking lot behind Esparza's, but it might be better to meet at Main Street Blues.   I think the back-up plan was that if we are not allowed into Main Street Blues in our jeans, we'd go to the Italian restaurant (Ravioli's) next to Esparza's.

from:		Mark Gresham <megresham@********>
to:		Amanda Pape <*********@gmail.com>
date:		Thu, Feb 2, 2006, 4:23 PM
subject:		Re: Saturday

Good plan. See you at Blues. One good thing about Texas; they rarely have dress codes. Too many rich weird people.

 

Mark

from:		Amanda Pape <********@gmail.com>
to:		Mark Gresham <megresham@********>
date:		Thu, Feb 2, 2006, 4:27 PM
subject:		Re: Saturday

... Doesn't matter where we eat - not coming for the food. ;)  Looking forward to your call (hopefully) on Saturday.

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So the date did in fact happen on Saturday, February 4, at Main Street Blues in Grapevine (**which no longer exists).  However, Mark was not feeling well.  I wrote this after I got home from our date:

from:		Amanda Pape <*********@gmail.com>
to:		mark gresham <megresham@**********>
date:		Sat, Feb 4, 2006, 11:33 PM
subject:		safe trip

I hope you made it home safely tonight.  Please go see a doctor so I don't get scared like that again. :)

 

Thank you again for a wonderful evening.  I am SO looking forward to next week.  ...

Love, A

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Turned out Mark was coming down with something.  We did see each other the following weekend, which resulted in me getting whatever he got.  So, a little break here in our re-romance saga - tune in again on Valentines Day.

Above, Mark talks with "The Sidewalk Judge" - another J. Seward Johnson sculpture (I photographed tons of them in Key West), this one outside the replica Wallis Hotel that houses Messina Hof Winery in Grapevine, on the tenth anniversary of our first date the second time around, January 31, 2016.

© Amanda Pape - 2025 - e-mail me!