Finding Mr. Right on the Internet

I was thinking the other day, something I do on occasion although it usually just ends up getting me in trouble. On this occasion I was thinking about these people who meet potential mates on the internet and how popular this method of matchmaking has become in the last few years.

Now, granted, it's been a number of years since I was out there in the dating scene. Really, that's an understatement because although I didn't date in a horse and buggy, I did have a few cruising dates with a boy named Jimmy on bicycles. But anyway, I was thinking about these meet-a-mate type places, so I decided to call a friend who's listed herself on one and see what she thought.

"How's it going with your internet dating?" I asked Helen.

"Oh, it's great. I've already met several really nice men and a couple of nice women."

"Really. I didn't know you were thinking about dating women."

"I'm not, but they're a lot of fun to chit-chat with on the computer. I don't plan on meeting them in person anyway."

"Well, that doesn't seem quite fair to string them along when you're not even interested, does it? I mean, you might be keeping them from meeting someone else."

"I imagine they're like me and meeting a lot of people. Besides, I never really told them I was interested in women. They contacted me. I'll tell them sooner or later."

"Well, I guess that's your business. What site have you listed yourself on?" I asked.

"I looked at several of them, but I like that Craig's List. That seems to get a lot of feedback. I've pretty much heard from men all over the country."

"Craig's List? I don't think that's really considered a dating site, is it? I mean, do they have some sort of monitoring to make sure everyone's on the up and up?"

"Beats me. I just wrote up things I wanted people to know about me, and like I said, so far the response has been really good."

Knowing her pretty well, I could just imagine what her "profile" had to say, but I felt I would be better off not asking exactly what it contained. "Well, have you decided to meet any of these potential mates in person?" I asked.

"Not right now. I think I better wait a while because I fibbed just a bit about my weight and a few other things, so I want to have a little time to get myself in shape."

"What do you mean fibbed? What did you tell you were like?" I couldn't wait to hear this part.

"Well, I shaved a few years off, along with about 25 pounds, and I think I made myself a wee bit taller than I really am. I figure if I give myself a few weeks, I can pull it off."

"Good luck. But didn't some of them want to see a picture of you?"

"Yeah, and I found them one, too. It was just taken a while back. In fact, I sent them the one you took in Florida that time."

I kept trying to remember when that was, and then it hit me. "That was 20 years ago. Do you think that was honest? Doesn't sound like you're starting off a potential relationship on very good footing."

"Seemed okay to me since one of them sent me a picture of Fabian in his heyday. Guess he thought I wouldn't be old enough to remember him. You've just been out of the dating world too long. It's totally different now."

"Guess so, then. Well, good luck." I hung up the phone and thought about what Helen had said. I think she's right, I've been out of the scene too long. If I were out there today, with my mouth, it'd be hopeless.