Dating Disasters
Following on from one of the recent news items on here, I thought I might share one with you.
It actually happened years ago, one of my very first experiences of internet dating and one that put me off it for years in fact.
I joined Udate… it must have been in 1999 or 2000 and quickly found myself communicating with a lady in London. Profiles were a tad vague back in the olden days and not everyone had access to a camera phone (if they’d even been invented then), a digital camera or a scanner so many, lots if not most of the profiles didn’t have photos. It actually surprises me how many don’t nowadays.
Anyway to cut a long story short, the lady in question seemed to be getting quite into me, which was so flattering. She was older (mid 40’s to my 30 I think). She seemed to have her wits about her and had travelled, had a good job… basically all the things I would normally find attractive. She kept saying things like ‘you are different, the way you talk.’ – all of which was making me smile and feel good about myself. Then one day, she bit the bullet and asked if I’d fancy dinner with her.
I jumped at the chance to meet her thinking this was something very very special. She was coming down from London and I up from Bristol so I chose a restaurant I know in Theale, just outside Reading. Very delicious Thai place if anyone’s interested by the way.
It was raining, pouring in fact. I was a little late, she was caught in traffic. Texts going back and forward giving me updates of traffic, weather and estimated time of arrival. I went inside, announce the reservation and got a drink by the window in the little bar area eager awaiting her arrival. Time was ticking and the waiter asked if I would like to be shown to the table and look at the menu. I seem to remember it being quite a late booking so they were obviously keen to at least get the order.
Fifteen minutes later the main doors open and, by this time, I’ve been glancing at every person, couple or group coming or going. A lone female walks in unfolding her umbrella with her long winter coat on. I was sat at the far end of the restaurant but the thud my heart made must have been audible in the entire building. Thoughts running through my head ‘that can’t be her!’, ‘no, surely not!’
As the waiter showed her to our table I felt cheated or lied to, but then I thought, ‘Hang on Karl you idiot, make the best out of a bad situation.’ I kissed her cheek, she was seated and I got her a drink. Sighs and good to meet you’s and the initial ice broken. We ordered our meal but my mind was elsewhere.
Half way through the starter she enquired, ‘so what do you think?’. Me, being rather stupid, thought she meant the food so I said ‘lovely. Absolutely delicious.’. Realising she was asking my opinion of her rather than the meal, my mind was going haywire. I couldn’t be rude. We were having a nice meal together. The food was nice and the company pleasant enough. What was I going to say ?
My reply was this. ‘It’s really lovely to meet you but I don’t think you were entirely honest about your age.’. God!! Had I just said that out loud!!?
Coming back down to reality again, her response was ‘Well I really wanted to meet you and thought that it was too late to tell you and besides, you wouldn’t have wanted to meet me if you knew.’ That sticks in my mind as one of the sweetest things ever… however cheated I felt.
By Sunshine_Karl
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