8/13/2010: Mr. Buckaroo

Friday 

Location: Yamato/Ventura County Fair

Planning a 2nd date on Friday the 13th may have seemed masochistic to some, but I figured I had nothing to lose at this point. May as well put all the cards on the table and go for it.
I allowed Mr. Buckaroo to pick me up at my apartment, which would usually never happen but I had a good feeling from our last date so threw caution to the wind on that rule.
When Mr. Buckaroo pulled into the shopping center he had planned dinner at, I cringed when I realized he wanted to take me to the Crab House, because I knew it had been closed for some time. He had no idea and seemed a little heart broken that his plans were fast fading.Plan B was sushi, which is always good in my book!
A short drive down the street to Yamato's and after a long dinner with a funny waiter, we were on our way to the fairgrounds.
Showing up a little late, we didnt have to pay for parking and walked in with no line. Mr. Buckaroo was so giddy about trying to win me a stuffed animal since he had never won one before. That was his goal for the night.
I usually dont play the fair games myself seeing it as a waste of hard earned money, but it's what he wanted to do and he was so excited.
First game: Throwing a baseball at cups, trying to knock them off their petestal, no stuffed animal.
Second game: 80 (YES, 80!) ring tosses trying to ring bottle necks, no stuffed animal.
Third game: Shooting a ball attached to a gun trying to knock off something, no stuffed animal.
Fourth game, we are given a tiny roadkill looking coyote stuffed animal we end up naming "Consolation" after the carney saw him fail at three other games and obviously failing at hers. 
I step up and try my hand at the next game: throwing a baseball at plates trying to break them, and win 4 in a row, adding a large lion to our stuffed animal collection. Needless to say, Mr. Buckaroo was even more eager to win SOMETHING since I had raised the bar!
Finally he tries his hand at throwing pig pong balls trying to get them in small colored cups on lily pads circling in a pool of water...and he did it! He jumped up and down and had this goofy laugh...it was both charming and disturbing that a man his age had never won anything at a fair and was so excited to finally do so. I picked a little pug dog for his prize and after a request for a picture with his trophy, he handed me the dog, obviously a little apprehensively. LOL
We walk around the fair coming up with names of our three new pets and enjoyed a glass of fair beer. We then went on the only ride Mr. Buckaroo would attempt: The big boat swing...He was nervously laughing at the weightless feeling his stomach gave him during the ride. It was like being on a date with an 8 year old boy. I was seeing his uber childish goofy side tonight for sure!
His very attractive cheshire cat smile had a very nerdy turn when he was really happy. HAHAHA....
We shared a funnel cake until the park closed, finding a very quiet almost romantic park bench behind some vendor booths and talked about possible future dates.
A drive home and a walk to my door ended our evening.
I am sure there will be a third date soon since Mr. Buckaroo couldnt wait until he got home to text me. He  pulled over half way to Agoura somewhere to let me know he had a great time and can't wait to see me again.