third date limbo land

the question on the table is: after 3 dates, is it my duty to tell smarty pants in person that i don't want to see him anymore?

i wasn't even going to take the third date. we went out on a tuesday, he emailed on wednesday, called on thursday and emailed again on saturday before even getting a response from me. talk about pursuit! his email on saturday was an invitation to brunch on sunday at the most popular brunch spot in portland. and i was convinced by fellow portlanders that it would be worth taking the third date just to eat at this place. so...i go.

i meet him in front of the restaurant on a beautiful autumn day. and he hands me a cd. oh crap...he made me a cd? this is not a good sign.

he really is not a bad guy. and he dresses well (except the hideous leather coat that he wore on date two). and he's not bad looking...i'm just not attracted to him. is it too much to ask for butterflies in my stomach? i want butterflies dammit!

we have a nice brunch (delicious food, btw), but i'm still not digging him. and all i can think about is how much i'm dreading the end of the date. is he going to go in for the kill? am i going to have the guts to tell him "i'm just not that into you"? well...neither happened. i'm a chicken (and maybe he is too).

even worse, he sends me a half-drunk email last night, explaining the cd. and because of the way his mind works, i know that he did not choose any of these songs by accident. i'm trying not to read into the lyrics...ugh.

so do i have the responsibility to tell him in person now? i'm not even sure i can handle on the phone. i totally want to take the easy way out and email him. i'm such a jerk! oh wait...let me rationalize...it would be easier for him to read it in an email as well. i'm doing him a favour. yes, that's it! i'm sparing his feelings so he doesn't have to respond immediately. i like the way i think ;)