Role models

One of the most pathetic things I’ve ever done to be closer to a cute guy was to sign up for “lunch buddies” — a program where professionals (Loose term. See: “people with jobs”) ate lunch once a week with students at a failing elementary school.

My cute co-worker was a lunch buddy and I followed suit, with my 25-year-old brain thinking that this somehow counted as a weekly lunch date. 

It was to be one of my best ideas ever.

We were supposed to be good role models for these kids, talking to them about their hopes and dreams, but I was too busy trying to get a seat in the cafeteria next to my co-worker.

Unfortunately, my assigned lunch buddy didn’t cooperate with my plan.

“Hey, Angel, let’s sit over here,” I said leading the way to where the other lunch buddies, including my cute crush, were sitting.

“No, I don’t LIKE him,” Angel said, pointing directly at my crush’s lunch buddy.

My face fell. Of all the kids in the lunch buddy program, she happened to NOT like the EXACT ONE that was assigned to my dreamboat?? 

Ugh. What luck.

“Well, maybe you can give him a second chance?” I said, looking longingly at my cute co-worker eating his cute sandwich.

She didn’t budge. I frowned as we sat two tables over, near the teacher.

“Can I have a dollar to buy buffalo wings?” Angel then asked.

“No.”

I didn’t impact Angel’s life at all during the month I was a lunch buddy. Really. I'm pretty sure she didn't even know my name. (Neither did my crush for that matter.)

As such, when I QUIT due to my plan backfiring “busy schedule,” I didn’t feel bad at all.

Sure, in between asking me for dollars, Angel and I had nice conversations about what she did that previous weekend, what she saw at the circus, etc. But as far as us making a meaningful connection and me inspiring her to achieve greatness?

“No.”

We both had other intentions.

I wanted a date. She wanted a dollar.

-Jenny