[!@#$%!]

oy! the stories!

luxy is the new jane austen.

well what you need to do is simple, i think.

you pursue your interest and agree to a cup of coffee with the other guy.

a cup of coffee (doesn't *need* to be coffee, can be anything, but it's the type of social ritual im talking about) is totally tentative and noncommittal. it can last 15 minutes or 45.

if you like him after the coffee, then maybe, who knows, whatever, check him out for lunch. if you don't like him then you're free to focus on the other fool.

my take is that you're out of practice and are making a big deal of thi. you don't have to make out with the guy or anything. have a nice chat at starbucks and then maybe you can just be friends...

anyway, nobody's asking you to get married or even let them hold your hand. if coffee doesnt work due to schedule, lunch is good too-- you always have to "get back to work", and if it's a flop it's just 30 minutes of your day that are ruined.

??

so yeah, dont make a big production out of this. keep it casual.