September 2021 (to present …) – Lisbon, Portugal

Bachelor #4 and I matched on Bumble the end of the first week I was in Lisbon (I was on a serious roll). We instantly had great conversation and banter, primarily over who was more deserving of the #1 aunt/uncle title (eventually deemed a tie).

He lived locally so we made plans to meet and go for a walk the upcoming Friday, which was about 5 days away. We didn’t chat too much between the time we agreed to meet and our date, and he wasn’t overly engaging following our initial conversation, so I wasn’t sure he was all that interested.

The day we had agreed to meet, he reached out to let me know he had a work dinner he needed to attend, but would be leaving as soon as he could. He asked if I would meet him a little outside of Lisbon center at the Oriente Station so we could meet as soon as he was done his work dinner. A quick Google search and Uber price check later, I agreed – based on the pretty images of the station – not actually knowing where I was going.

Had I done more than look at the pretty pictures (of the man and the station) I might have realized Oriente Station is quite big. I texted Captain Planet and said I had arrived and he asked where I was…. Sir, I do not know.

After several texts, a call, and trying to find each other for a good 15 minutes, he told me to meet him by “the flags”.. WTF “flags”?? I was already frustrated by this meet up, with this guy I wasn’t entirely sure was in to me, and now was supposed to be “walking straight, toward the flags” looking for this self identified “big black guy” (sir, I have dated 7′, 300lb+ men… and I have seen the men of Portugal, “big” is clearly subjective”).

As I was starting to have regret not making him come to me, I looked up and there were flags… so many flags (luckily very few red ones)! It was actually beautiful, but what was even more beautiful was the man standing under them looking around. I realized this gorgeous (“big” by Portuguese standards, medium by mine) man, in his white button down shirt, perfect shiny beard, and school boy backpack was looking for me.

As we saw each other, his smile melted away any doubt he was interested. After a somewhat awkward greeting, he asked me if I wanted to walk along the water towards the bridge. I absolutely did.

As we walked along the water talking, the awkwardness faded away and we easily fell in to step and conversation. We reached the end of the walkway and he pointed to a bench a little bit further and asked if I wanted to sit.

Do I want to sit? Under the Vasco da Gama Bridge, under the stars with a gorgeous man? Yes, yes I do.

Before I sat, Captain Planet pulled a napkin out of his bag to wipe the seat off for me (okay gentleman!). Then he pulled a bottle of pre-mixed gin and juice out of his backpack and asked if I wanted a drink. Yes sir!

Then there was a momentary pause before he pulled two plastic cups out of his backpack… not plastic cups as in solo cups, but plastic cups as in souvenir cartoon character cups… and with the most adorable shy smile said: I really love the environment.

I automatically said: Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!

We both laughed and I think it was in that moment that he fell in love with me.

We sat on the bench, under the bridge, under the stars drinking gin and juice (literally) out of Mickey Mouse plastic (reusable) cups and talked about everything. We were on the same page about all things “relationship”: not wanting to get married, not wanting kids, not wanting a traditional monogamous relationship but not being the ever-growing-standard-“poly”.

We discovered we had a lot in common, but enough differences to keep things interesting. We both love to travel, but are in different places in life; him having traveled extensively younger and me having started to roam the world a bit ‘later’ in life.

I told him about my recent travels and impromptu trip to Portugal and this man looked at me and said: You are not a nomad, you are feral.

I think that remains the most endearing thing a man has ever said to me.

Fueled by gin and juice and a great connection, we talked and laughed and danced to a random Spotify playlist, which lead to a pretty magical-under-the-moon-and-stars-and-bridge-make-out that then lead to walking back down the promenade (yes, it is an actual promenade).

We made it a little ways down the promenade, when he took my hand and lead me out to a little pier where we continued our make out session until we realized another couple had stopped to observe and decided it was time to take our date indoors.

We called an uber and headed back to my Airbnb where our date continued until the sun came up.

After a brief sleep, we woke up and I popped in to the shower, emerging to the vision of this gorgeous man, taking in the gorgeous view, from my gorgeous Lisbon apartment.

As he said goodbye, he told me he would call me, and left. I called the friend I was supposed to meet in Mexico in four weeks and asked her if she would come to Europe instead… I was staying.