The Dating Game

 

The Dating Game

Not a game I’ve ever won. After my divorce, my friends were all eager for me to meet “Mr. Right”. Thus, I experienced more dates in my forties than I ever had had in my younger days. In my teens I was always one to “go steady” (sort of a quaint phrase) because I never enjoyed dating and I found that I still felt that way thirty years later. Some of the more memorable dates will be mentioned. Memorable for various reasons.

The Pragmatist

It was usual for me to invite the date in for a drink before we left for dinner. As I may have mentioned, I was in my genteel poverty era. I lived in a lovely pre-war home in a prestigious neighborhood. Anyway, the date was pleasant enough and commented on how nice my house was. And then wasting no time with chit chat, he asked me how much equity I had in it. Needless to say there was no second date.

The Enforcer

Many times I would invite the date in for a nightcap if it seemed appropriate. My sons were going through a rough time and were rebelling. They were many times under the influence and this was a time they were when they came home to find me there with the date. Later in the evening I was told, “those kids need straightening out”. Yes, I agreed – but you won’t be the one to do it!

The Entrepreneur

This turned out to be more than one date. The entrepreneur sussed out early that the way to my heart was to avail himself for home repairs. Wow! He came over with a tool box and I was smitten. Actually, it became apparent that he was a minor league fortune hunter – very minor due to his lack of skills in the fortune hunting business. And because I didn’t have a fortune this was not a fit. A little epilogue: Years later I got a phone call from a woman who had been taken to the cleaners by The Entrepreneur. I guess, I dodged a bullet and not for the first time!

The Narrator

He holds the place of the last date of all time. It seemed promising. He had reservations at a very nice restaurant – I remember an excellent chilled cucumber soup on the menu. We ordered drinks and then the narrative began. He was worried about his drinking, he had a bad divorce, (are there good ones?), his children were all brilliant, and on and on and on. I think I even heard what his son’s favorite food was. The dissertation went through dinner and desert. On the way home he asked, “Do you have children?” At the door, he said that this date was great, and I asked for whom?

The Romantic

It was a lovely French restaurant and, I, loving all things French was quite impressed. Also impressive was that my date explained to the overly attentive waiter that this was his first date and he would like less attention from him so he could pay attention to me! Hope springs eternal! I was happy to hear from him the next day when he asked me out again, but made it clear that I would only date him. I explained that I had just come out of a divorce and wasn’t ready for this. He later said the commitment wasn’t required, but I had by then moved on. There were times I thought I had passed up something good, when it was discovered that The Romantic was married and stayed married until his wife had an accidental fall at a gas station and hit her head causing her demise. Hmm - accidental?

Shakespeare had it right - “All’s well that ends well!”

Next week's post will be posted on Thursday.