Being in my in my early forties (very early), I decided to give the online dating sites a try. I didn’t jump in with a graceful dive but more like a belly flop. I joined every site I found from Singlesnet to eHarmony, until my total was ten. I know it sounds sad, but I stopped at ten. I went on what seemed like a thousand first dates' with no luck of finding a man worthy of a second anywhere in the vicinity. I was shocked, I had read success stories of someone finding their 'soul mate' on every site I had joined. Ater a year of having no luck at all, I got fed up and one by one cancelled every one of my memberships. I had never had a problem in the past getting a date, but with re-enrolling in school to finish my degree in business, and working full time I barely had time to sleep, let alone 'cruise the scene'. I had liked the idea that I could ask all the questions the profiles I read either didn't mention, and was able to ask the 'prospect' to elaborate on an answer to a question he'd stated in his profile. The day I was on my mission to cancel evey site, the very last one I was to 'delete' had a message. Well, my curiosity got the best of me and I opened his message. He was a single thirty-nine-year-old father of twin boys. Ok, girls, correct me if I'm wrong, but I was impressed that not only was he a single father taking care of his responsibility, but that he had done it with twins!
I felt this strong need to know more. I don't have any children of my own, yet I have friends that are doing it alone with one and struggling. My interest was sparked and my nagging wonder forced me to investigate the man behind the message. I sent him a response back and waited. Three days later he replied. He introduced himself and left me a phone number telling me that he'd perferred to chat away from the site and that in his 'opinion' he could get a better 'feel' for a person through live conversation. If I hadn't been sitting down when I read that part of the email, I would have fallen down. That was the exact way I had described how I wanted to get to know a date before commiting to meeting in person. Maybe it's just me, but I'm a firm believer if you have a great conversation on the phone, it would be the same in person. In his email he had even mentioned if I wanted to block my number the first time I called he'd "completely understand." I didn't reply back right away. I waited the same three days until I called him; patience was never a strong virtue for me but I bit the bullet and waited. I called him on a Tuesday after work about 7:00 p.m. I did not get off the phone with him until after midnight. I had learned more about 'DJ' in the five hours of conversation than I knew about my ex-boyfriend of eight years. Niether one of us wanted to end the call but both of us had obligations early the next day. Before I hung up, he asked if I was comfortable enough to give him my number (I blocked it when I called; he said I could!) I gave him my home and cell numbers. He said goodnight and promised to call the next evening at about the same time. Being the hopeless romantic I am, I hoped he would. I couldn't stop myself from being 'smitten by him'. He was so down-to-earth and easy to talk to. I was not as forth coming as he was, but it was hard for me not to be. He had intrigued me; he had spoken about his twin boys with such love. I thought I could actually hear him smile through the phone. The next day he called ten minutes before 7:00 p.m. and we spent another four hours on the phone.
