Dates or dates?
Written: Jun 10 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Dates - the "other prune". Eat some to stay regular and enjoy your social life.
Cons: None.
The Bottom Line: I like good dates. Now that I'm married, I have fewer dates. My husband isn't a big fan of Mediterranean food or dried fruit.
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| nwinston's Full Review: Dates |
Unsure about whether this category is about
fruit or social engagements, I pondered the
question. Unable to find a date tree, I did my
thinking in the shade of an apple tree. All at
once, it hit me. No, not an apple. An idea. I
realized that it doesn't matter whether this
article is about dates or about dates. A little
known secret is that dating isn't about
compatibility, it's about going with the flow.
As fibrous fruits help ease you through life, so
does a cooperative spirit.
First dates are often heavily analyzed. If the
daters choose to see each other again, it usually
means the first date was "good". Friends and
relatives weigh in on what constitutes a good
date. If a man doesn't treat a lady right, she
loses respect if she sees him again. Community
standards vary. Personally, I wouldn't go for
round #2 with a guy who spits 'baccy juice. But
there are towns where a guy with a brass
spittoon is a great catch.
Keep that in mind as you read about my first date
with the man who is now my husband. Was I a fool
to keep seeing him? Or a free flowing spirit?
Handsome and mysterious, a young man came
into my dorm's cafeteria daily for meals. He
didn't live there. Who was he? Being sexist
pigs, my gal pals liked to rate the cafe men on
a 1-10 scale. I worked during meals and paid
less attention than some. Still, that 9.7
had qualities that stood out.
Date night arrived and I was stood up by a guy
who got called in to work. I had no one to dance
with at the club. I sat with some Professor and
TA friends of mine, whining about my Saturday
night loneliness. 2 guys at the table offered a
pitcher of beverage and I quaffed my thirst. One
of them looked familiar, but I couldn't remember
where I'd seen him. But he was very good looking,
so I decided to ask. Charmingly, he said it was
at a party. He told a detailed story about the
events there. It didn't sound familiar but I
agreed with his elaborate story. My roomie was
famous for dragging me along to 10 parties in
one night, stopping at each for a few minutes.
Maybe I met him at one of them. After all, why
would he fib?
Well, the short answer was to have some fun with
me. He exposed the party story as a fake and said
he'd never seen me before. Humiliated, I tried to
leave. The last bus was departing as I went out
front. Drats! I had no choice but to beg a ride
with my friends. Just my luck! The jerk with the
story was the guy driving. He dropped me at my
building and I assumed I wouldn't see him again.
Until the next morning, when I was slopping mystery
food onto sleep walking dormies' trays. There was Mr.
9.7. You guessed it. One and the same. When I said
"Hi" to him, he looked sheepish. Looks like he had
seen me before. Daily. I must look different in
disco lighting than ghost fluorescent downlights.
Perhaps the hairnet didn't do much for my working
appearance either.
Not long after, we were on our way to our first date.
Some chemistry between us allowed me to forgive
him for his initial faux pas. He seemed worth
giving another chance.
Dressed casually, I thought we'd probably go to a $1
movie on the quad or on a stroll of the night spots.
Wrongo! He brought his car and we began driving off
campus. Townie restaurant? Some hot spot I didn't
know about? The mystery didn't last for long. As
we pulled into the K-Mart parking lot, I checked to
see if there were other stores sharing the space.
No such luck. K-Mart was on it's own. Never mind
the chemistry between us. After putting me down in
front of my friends at the nightclub, K-Mart wasn't
tipping the scales to the plus side.
Getting out of the car, I was determined not to
show my displeasure with discount shopping on a
first date. I proceeded to the store with my head
held high, convincing all those bystanders that I
always went to K-Mart for dates. And loved it!
Not that the bystanders cared. Or even noticed
me. It was just one of those times when it felt
like people were staring. Now that I have my
medication under control, I realize they weren't
really looking at me. Were they?
~=~=~=~=~ Mid-epinion commercial break ~=~=~=~=~
Speaking of which, K-Mart does sell dates. Consumed
for at least 5000 years, they were eaten as a delicacy
in Biblical times. Known for fiber, 2 1/2 medium
dates contain 60 calories and 15 carbohydrates grams.
For the most part, the dates you can buy at K-Mart
will be dried and will often come in a package of
assorted dried fruits. They make a quick energy
boost in the middle of a date. Keep dried dates
sealed tightly in their package to keep them soft.
~=~=~=~=~ Back to scheduled romance ~=~=~=~=~
Grinning from ear to ear, my attractive but unproven
date was explaining our mission. Needing to shop for
some items, he decided that he might as well include
me. He said that if I could correctly predict the
Bluelight special department, he'd take me to the
park to swing on the swings. Before earning the
respite, I needed to be a savvy "K-Mart shopper".
Scholarship committee's selection criteria on the
line, I was determined to win this game. I couldn't
betray the faith they'd shown in my brains. But how
to predict the Bluelight? Not being a K-Mart shopper,
I didn't know the patterns. My Mom had been loyal to
GoldBlatt's. The buzzing sound I heard in my head
turned out to be my business lecturer's words, not
the fluorescent lights popping. I remembered him
exhorting us to "think outside the box". Determined
to obey the voices in my head, I thought of the
sneakiest, most reliable way to win. Excusing
myself to go to the facilities, I worked my way over
to the Customer Service booth.
Laying out my pathetic plight to some sympathetic
clerks (thanks ladies) was embarrassing but wise.
They apparently had no lights planned for flashing
that night. Synchronizing our Timex's (on sale in
jewelry), we made a plan.
Confidently, I returned to my date's side. He was
laughing as he asked if I had a guess. "Men's
briefs," I predicted. (You loyal readers knew
fruit would get back in the game, didn't you?)
That's right. Michael Jordan's brand of choice,
Fruit of the Loom, would earn a flashing blue
beacon in just a few minutes. When the
announcement was made, Mr. 9.7 knew I had
fixed the game. But he was gentleman enough
to not call me on it.
We went swinging in the park in honor of my win.
Mr. 9.7 explained that he had met many young
ladies he'd considered dating. He was turned
off by those who desired expensive wining and
dining. He didn't want to be seen as a meal
ticket. He was looking for someone who just
enjoyed being with him. We shared a few laughs
and called it a night.
Evening over, we went to our respective holes in
the wall to contemplate the future. Would we meet
again? Was there a future for us? We still ask
the question, 23 years later. Answer? Yes!
Fortunately for us, there's a K-Mart just down the
street.
"Love in June write off" is about anything romantic.
It is in honor of Debbie26's nine year wedding
anniversary.
Participants: fallyn96, jo.com, Marytara,
mellkinwa, micheich, nwinston, Debbie26
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
nwinston
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 - Top 500 |
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Location: US
Reviews written: 272
Trusted by: 237 members
About Me:
Loving my boys and the summer weather in Oregon!
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