By, Stephen LaGattuta
In 1998, after breaking up from a five year, on again, off again, relationship, I decided it might be time to try a dating service. I was filled with doubts about it. After all isn’t it true that “only losers need a dating service”. But I stuck with it for one reason, I could meet a lot more women in a shorter period of time. I was determined, this time, to meet as many women as possible, learn what I could, and hopefully, this time make a more informed choice. I was so determined I joined two services. In 6 months I dated between 35 and 40 women. It was scary, exciting, emotional, arduous, sensual, and very challenging.
When you first sign up, dating services ask you lots of questions about yourself and the person you are looking for. Then they ignore most everything you’ve said and hook you up with just about any woman they contractually owe dates to. Yes sometimes they try, but it doesn’t seem like it.
In the beginning I was naïve and would call the dating service to try and straighten them out. I soon realized all the women I dated had the same kind of experiences with them. This was the way it was and I best just go with it. I would know, often within a few seconds of meeting a woman, whether or not I was interested. So then I had a choice. Be rude and leave. Or relax, learn as much about this person as I could, and try to make sure both she and I enjoyed ourselves.
What a great time I had. The women were fascinating, not often in the ways they might hope, but fascinating none the less. And, what is really amazing to me, is that even though it was years ago, I remember all of them, including what they looked like and what they said.
So here they are. The women I met in the dating service: The bright, the bruised, the pretty, the hopeful and the lonely. I enjoyed them all. The words on the frame are what the dating service told me about the woman before our date. The words on the Plexiglas are my musings after we met. By the way my last date was with a woman called Hillary. I was her first date. We have been married since 2001.
Stephen LaGattuta