Last December, after the demise of my three-year relationship with Ex, I entered the wild world of Internet dating. I met Ex, the guy I'd dated for three years, through a friend, and look how well that turned out -- NOT! (see my "Last Valentine's Day" post) -- so I figured online dating couldn't be any worse.
So, my first online date was last December, with an Indian guy named Ahbay. I e-mailed him because his profile photo showed him reading a book, and I like dating men who can read. First we talked on the phone. Although he had an accent, he spoke better English than I did. Then we made plans to meet at a coffee shop in the neighborhood. He insisted on picking me up in his car. (Me: "I shouldn't get in a stranger's car. What if you're an axe murderer?" Ahbay: "Let's meet by the Rite Aid, you can look me over, and if you still think I'm dangerous, we probably shouldn't even bother going out!")
We made it to the coffee shop safely and talked for three hours. He voted for Bush, so I knew then it probably wouldn't go anywhere, but it was interesting to talk about globalization issues with him. He said in India the poverty rate has gone down since globalization and the internationalization of India's economy ("Even the woman selling vegetables on the side of the road has a cell phone now!").
He put his arm around me as we left the shop (in three years I don't think Ex ever put his arm around me unless we were having our picture taken), drove me home and said he'd call me. Which he did, a few days later, and left a message. Then I called him back and left a message. We played phone tag for a few weeks, he left on a business trip, and we wound up never speaking to or seeing each other again.
Still, for a first online date, I'd give it three out of five stars.
