My sick niece

I paid good money for a "computer" dating service (in Dayton Ohio) that turned out to be anything but. (Even the lists of potential dates I was sent had been created on a typewriter!) The gal running the company apparently also didn't do any kind of "matching" whatsoever, because I had indicated my preferences (college grads, no smoking, not more than 20 miles from my home, etc.), and of the 6 men I ended up meeting, not a single one met the criteria I'd given her.

The very first guy I spoke to by phone seemed nice, worked for the Gas company, and we set up a date to have lunch and see a movie. He showed up at my door (a mistake, as I learned later to ALWAYS meet these guys in a neutral location, with my own transportation near by). He was nice looking enough, but was wearing a tank top that was ripped, wrinkled shorts and work boots. The hair in his armpits was caked with white deodorant, and his shirt was so sparse I could see his nipples (which were deformed in some way). When he smiled, there was chewing tobacco stuck all over his teeth. (Later in the date, when I asked when he'd graduated from high school (a common trick to try and learn someone's age), he said, "Well, I never actually graduated." College grad my ass.

Well, I guess I didn't meet his idea of being all that and a bag of chips, because when I opened the door, he almost immediately launched into the most bizarre excuse I've ever heard to cut our "date" short. He said we couldn't go to the movie and could only have a "quick bite to eat" because he had an 11 year old niece that was "going to die that day." I was shocked, and of course said we should reschedule, but he refused. (I think he wanted to get it over with.) We ended up having coffee and pie, and he said again that his niece was dying so he had to get going. He even elaborated, saying that she had been born sick and that they always thought she would die, but now that she'd lasted this long they hoped she lived until midnight "so the insurance would kick in" (?!) He drove me home as fast as he could, pulled up in the driveway, motor running, and without looking at me, said "Nice meeting you". I just shook my head and got out, watching him peel out of the driveway. Lame!

Leena, Virginia

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