Shop Around

The other day a friend and I did something we've never done before -- speed dating. 

Speed dating is one of those things I've always been curious about. I usually imagine a scene with flashes of me talking to three men who are complete characters: The first is bouncing off the walls with energy, talking a mile a minute, and probably on some drug...  The second is such a creep that I can barely notice what he's saying behind the winking, lip-licking, and goofy smiling. The third is a seemingly upstanding black man. We're chatting, laughing, and really enjoying each other's company, but just when it's getting good, his wife storms in, curses me out for getting at a married man, and drags him to the minivan where the sad faces of his three kids are waiting for him. 

TV and movies always make it look so nerve-wracking, but sometimes that's exactly what we need to remind us that those nerves are actually there. So with this mild interest in trying it, the opportunity presented itself the way most opportunities do these days -- by email. Granted, it was college speed dating, so I was guaranteed to have at least one thing in common with the people around me.

With a classy drink in hand and a smile on my face, I nervously took a seat to start round one. The rules were simple: One minute with each person. If you like them, write their number in your love column. Then move to your left. (Of course there was also a space for potential friends, but clearly I wasn't there to make friends. Valentine's Day is soon, so I really had some work to do!)*

There were the typical questions:
- What's your name?
- What year are you?
- What are you studying?
- Blah blah blah...

And there were the unique:
- What's the craziest thing you've done lately? (Like in "The Girl Next Door"? Anyone? .. No?)
- If you could spend your life as any animal what would you be?**

But the hardest was any variation of "what do you like to do?" Such a standard question, but kind of weird to answer, you know? What do I like to do? What am I into? I'm into living and breathing! The end! I found myself saying "music" a lot... but then I'd have to qualify it with "well, I mean... listening to music... and talking about music... and... writing about music." Sadly, no, I'm not a dope musician. There was always a brief withdrawal of excitement when they found out I didn't make music. (Most people tried to bring the energy back with a "oh, that's cool!" but I knew it wasn't the same.)

This account of the experience probably doesn't make it apparent but I really enjoyed it. I met so many different kinds of people and though I may never see them again (or ever WANT to see them again),
it was all nice while it lasted!

Besides, I think I gotta step my social game up. In the end, people are all we really have.


Note:
*Just kidding :)
**I said a butterfly. Pretty, free, happy, well loved. Their lives may not be long, but they probably live them to the fullest.