Date #1
If my first online-dating-site date had been any indication of how my whole online dating experience was going to evolve, or not, I would have bailed immediately. Not only was I a virgin at online dating, but I was practically a virgin at dating, period...among other things...it had been so long. Maybe it's because I hadn't been interviewed in a long time, and boy was this date just like an interview.
After a few e-mails came the phone interview. He, whom I will refer to as M, was nice...not a bad voice to add to not a bad picture...seemed like a pretty good equation. He very methodically explained the online ropes to me. "Well, the next step is to meet somewhere like Starbucks, talk a little more and see if we like each other," he said. Wow, I got a second interview...AND I get to have coffee...awesome! Was I really going to lose my virginity?
"On the Palmetto and through the Gables and to Starbucks I go...la-la-la-la-la-la...la. Hmmmm, what if I get there first? Should I just go get my coffee? That's kind of rude...I should wait for him. Should I let him pay for the coffee? Is this like a date? Or is this online dating thing different? What are the online-dating etiquette rules? God, I hope he can at least get me a cup of coffee. I'll just wait for him and see what he does."
Next thing I knew, I was there, standing at the corner of Starbucks...and there he came, crossing the street...is he really like a foot shorter or is he just really far away? No, he's right there. Here he is. Yeah...definitely short...I would totally squash him.
So, we got coffee...HE got it...and we sat to talk for exactly one hour. We had a second interview. It was JUST LIKE AN INTERVIEW! I lost my virginity to M...to this anal nerd who is very nice, not bad looking really, but definitely NOT for me. It was just like really losing your virginity and thinking, "Was that it?" Very sad...but he was very nice, I have to say.
It was good company, only an hour (down to the minute...probably down to the second...he checked his watch)...and I was broken in. Good practice?
Then, as my luck would have it, he called me while on my way home (I only live 15 minutes away from that Starbucks). I couldn't answer...well, I could have, but I was in the middle of telling my mom what a geek he was...God forgive me, but...
He left me such a nice message about how he had a nice time and wanted to see me again. I passed the second interview! And now I had to turn down the job. Someone so new at this should NOT be put under this kind of stress. How was I going to tell him?
I decided I would return his call later...maybe the next day. Then wouldn'tcha know, a hurricane came...well, almost. He called to see how I was doing. I still hadn't called him back. I never called him back. I felt so guilty...but I never called him back.
