Last week's story Manly Man was a refreshing break from the weirdos that usually find me. Perhaps I should pack up and move to Oz. They sure do make the men good in the land down under! Sighhhhh....Anyway, back in the states I heard great things about the dating website called, "How About We" so I decided to give it a shot with the hope that I would meet someone as awesome as Manly Man but on my side of the world. However, my experience with one of the guys I met on How About We couldn't have been more opposite!
Here's how the the site works: How About We flips the script on traditional online dating—because the date itself is already planned, there is no need for endless back-and-forth messaging (a blessing). The way it works is you actually propose a date online—something like “How About We…go to a Knicks game?” Or “How About We…check out that new Korean restaurant?”
That makes How About We the only dating site that really helps the user get offline and on real dates with real people! As one user put it, "The date proposal is the ultimate digital first impression."
The second impression, unfortunately, is up to the user.
Crazy Eyes was the second guy I met on How About We, but definitely first when it comes to memorable experiences.
On our first date (“How About We…go hear some live jazz?”), I just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was a little off. For starters, there were the eyes that inspired his nickname. I tried to ignore the fact that they looked a bit like the eyes of someone possessed by a poltergeist, or worse.
I also remember checking my phone and hearing him comment about seeing an email from a dating site in my inbox. He was looking over my shoulder! Hello, it’s our first date—why are you creeping up behind me?!
I agreed to a second date, because I like to give people the benefit of the doubt.
This, in retrospect, was not a good idea.
He had a big evening planned. It started with dinner at a Russian restaurant. I couldn’t help noticing how deeply and intensely he stared at me when he spoke, and that he stared at the waiter the same way. It was as though he was trying to convey a piece of life-or-death information. Not that he would like to start with the cold beet borscht.
Seriously, this man did not blink. I almost had to stop myself from laughing because I caught myself wondering if his eyes hurt from the effort of staying wide open at all times.
During dinner, I learned that he had moved more than half a dozen times—all around the country—after graduating college. That added to my general sense that this guy was just a bit unstable.
After dinner, we went to see a play called “Avenue Q,” which was a huge hit at the time. We came in thirty minutes late, but I forgave him since we had front row seats. I guess he was a huge fan, because he had already seen the play twice before he took me. My mind started racing again. Why would anyone want to see the same play three times? Is this where he brings all his dates?
It turned out the play was really funny. I laughed aloud quite a few times. Every time I laughed, I felt my date’s giant dark eyes burning a hole through the left side of my face. I actually felt him staring. It was that intense.
So, I’d turn to look at him, and he’d comment. He said things like, “It really wasn't that funny," or, "Why are you laughing?" Yikes. It wasn’t Hamlet or anything. It was a funny play! I was having fun, so I ignored his weirdness.
After the play, he walked me home, because I live on the same block as the theater. That, my friends, is when I took my own little detour into Crazy Town. I invited him up to my apartment for a drink. That may be the dumbest thing I have ever done in my entire life.
As expected, the conversation got weird fast. I told him my dad had passed away. He told me his dad—or maybe his mom, I don’t remember—had passed away, too. What were the chances of his parent conveniently dying a mere three weeks after mine? The mind boggles. As our conversion continued, he grew increasingly agitatedfor no reason, until he started flipping out on me. In my apartment! On our second date! He started yelling things such as, "it's always about you" and "your feelings" and "what about me?"
Yikes!
Needless to say, I was scared out of my mind. I knew I had to think of something to get this psychopath out of my apartment before he chopped me up into itty-bitty pieces and left me in a garbage bag on the sidewalk.
So I very, very calmly said, “You need to put your shoes on and go home.” He did, which no doubt is why I’m still here, writing this today.
He texted me when he got home, apologizing profusely for his actions and saying he understood why I might have been scared.
Might have been scared? I was this close to calling 9-1-1.
I ignored the message. Two days later, he texted me another apology. It included some very wise advice—something along the lines of, "You should follow your instinct, it is usually right."
So, I trusted mine, and never, ever communicated with him again.
What I learned from Crazy Eyes:
- If you get a weird feeling in your belly that something just ain’t right on a first date, it probably isn’t.
- Your time is precious. Follow your instincts and it won’t steer you wrong. Plus, you will save on calories and beauty sleep for your next first date with another guy—who could be a real keeper!
- Never trust a guy who doesn’t blink.