Boy meets Girl: Letting fate decide

Oct 29 2008 Playing the dating game with Ed Saunt and Vicki Eltis

While Ed chickens out of a date with a new girl he’s met online Vicki wonders if she should wait around for her date to start showing a little more interest.

Ed writes: As you read this I will just have finished a gruelling day of exams preceded by a week’s tough revision.

For days I was filled with dread and nerves, struggling to sleep at night. But the problem was, I wasn’t worrying about the upcoming tests, I was wrought with apprehension at this week’s prospective date.

I had arranged to meet Laura – a mysinglefriend friend (does that work?) – on Thursday. But, rather than the clichéd butterflies-in-stomach feeling that should punctuate the days before commencing a courtship, I was feeling fearful.

Yes, I should be excited. "A chance to meet the love of your life," friends told me. "What have you got to lose?"

Nothing. Except I’m sure Romeo and Juliet weren’t miserable at the prospect of a night on the town together. I’m actually not sure they shared many nights on the town together at all and we all know how they ended up so I won’t be taking tips from those two anyway.

As Thursday night drew closer I began to dream of being stood up as I examined Laura’s online profile and worried she may look more like pictures three and four than one and two.

I know I haven’t been on a proper blind date for a while but this was just silly. This was no way for a man to live his life. He should be joyous and carefree – at least until he gets married.

So, approximately 1 hour, 48 minutes and 36 seconds before our arranged meeting time, I prepared two prospective text messages.

The fun, bouncy, just-checkin-ur-cool-for-the-meeting-time text and the weasly snivelly thanks-but-no-thanks brush-off. It would be down to fate to decide.

24 Oct. 2008 18:14 To: Laura.

"So sorry to do this at such short notice but I’ve been caught at work and don’t reckon I’ll be out for a while. Is there any way we can reschedule? If you don’t hate me that is. Sorry sorry sorry. x"

I think she hates me. I don’t think there’s any way we can reschedule. Slept well for my exams though.                              

                                    * * *

Vicki writes: IT'S been a whole week and three days since ‘S’ and I last met up.

And while Ed seems to be going off this whole dating game, I’m trying my hardest to be patient about my next date with ’S.’ I just can’t wait any longer.

Is 11 days too long to leave a prospective new partner hanging on?

Okay, so ‘S’ went away last weekend to see friends but surely the beginning of a relationship - and to be honest I’m seriously doubting this is one - should be the time when in the throes of romance and getting to know someone you see each other more often than not?

Don’t get me wrong I do like him.

Maybe he’s even doing this on purpose to make me want him even more, you know the old adage ‘treat them mean, keep them keen.’

When all the girls are spending more time with their other halves I’m beginning to feel like a spare part just hanging around waiting and not really knowing what’s in it for me.

So I decided to take a sneaky peak at mysinglefriend.com one last time.

Well I am paying for it!

I hadn’t been on for ages and was shocked to find that after Ed’s appalling write up of me at least one other guy had got in touch.

What a coincidence? He has the same name and is from the exact same town as Mr special B. As if I needed reminding of him in this quiet week.

Although we spent a few days messaging each other it seemed to dwindle.

I don’t think we really had the same interests and well he thought it was a bit far.

So back to ‘S’ maybe absence does make the heart grow fonder?

Next week I will be able to update you as we do have a spooky date set and there’s only two more days to go!