Match.com worked pretty quickly for me. I had met several women through the site in a couple weeks. The objective was to meet some ladies to socialize with: have dinner, see a movie or attend a concert, nothing further. My life was too messy at the time for pressing anyone into a relationship due to all the debt acquired from moving back. A modest goal which was a form of practice until I felt I had my act together financially.
There was one woman I met in person within the first week of the new year and I had to tell her it wasn’t going to work out. Sounds pretty jerkesque of me yet ending matters before they grew worse was one of the hardest lessons I ever learned. I have Sonia to thank for all the pointers. Besides, who’s the bigger heel? The one who drags someone along for multiple dates or ends it after one? I know I was frightened of having another Allison incident from 1997.
Then I met Somara days later. I can’t remember if it was a phone call or an e-mail. I do know that after several conversations we agreed to meet at the Chili’s near Apple (it has since moved to where a less successful restaurant stood off of I-35). We hit it off pretty well, staying until the joint closed and vowed to meet again for something more interesting than eating. A few dates later, I think Somara had become my de facto girlfriend by Valentine’s Day so I closed the Match.com account for good; I doubt I was actively checking by the end of January since I enjoyed her company.
Ten years later, Somara can’t get rid of me!
Tonight we’ll celebrate at Wings n’ More instead. The original location is gone and the Pflugerville-based Chili’s is farther away than Wings, plus they don’t have free Wi-Fi.