We were looking forward to our friend’s engagement dinner all week, so much so that we built it up in our minds. It was more than an engagement dinner-more than a milestone ceremony announcing the union of two families.
 
It was more than a major life change for one of my oldest, closest friends. It was going to be our date night!
 
In order for us to make the dinner, Owen was spending the night at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. In Owen’s entire 15-month life, we’ve handed him over to a babysitter only a few times.
 
And that has made his mommy and daddy a bit jumpy and chomping at the bit. So we decided to steal a couple of hours and commandeer the night’s intentions.
 
My friend Craig’s dinner would be the first half of the date and if all went according to plan, catch a movie after that. We dressed up and took the car with the sunroof, dropped off Owen and turned on the music as we headed into our own summer night.
 
My friend’s fiancé has a large Italian family. They took up an entire room of a local Italian restaurant. Between them and Craig’s friends from Fed Ex, where he works, we shook a lot of hands and told a lot of stories.
 
“Owen just started walking last week,” I said, “and I have pictures!” 
 
“Oh really?”
 
“Yes, and I also have video of him dancing on my cell phone. Wanna’ see?”
“Sure,” they obliged as I started my multimedia presentation.
 
We sat next to an expectant mother. Sarah gave her an earful of what’s in store as she finishes her pregnancy and brings her new baby home.
 
“This is fun,” Sarah said in the middle of dinner. “I’m having a good time.”
 
I was too. As Craig and his fiancé made their way around the room smiling for each guest that wanted a snapshot, I thought about what kind of father he’ll be. I fantasized about him having a son that would be friends with my son. Maybe they would even go to school together. 
 
We enjoyed ourselves so much that our desire for a hasty escape was the only thing that went out the door early.
 
We stayed until the end and figured we’d just see what movies were playing on our way home. By sheer luck the timing worked out perfectly. We arrived at the theater 20 minutes before the start of the movie we wanted to see.
 
“It’s late, but we don’t have Owen. Do you want to go in?” I asked Sarah.
 
“I don’t think so,” she said. “I wouldn’t be chipper enough for Owen in the morning.”
 
I agreed. After all of that talk about Owen, we missed him. So, we headed home and went to sleep so we could pick him up early the next day.     
 
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