I matched with a woman on Tinder who’s so gorgeous that if we’d crossed paths in public, I probably would’ve become very interested in whatever was on the opposite side of the street. On Tinder, where I could act without making eye contact, I managed to ask her out. She said yes. We’re going out next week.
I’m 30, a little chubby, and generally good company. I’m outgoing, I can make people laugh, and I usually do better in person than I do on dating apps. All of that would be reassuring if I could count on being the version of myself who knows when to stop talking.
When I’m nervous, I get clumsy, smoke too much, and start explaining things about music or history that nobody asked me to explain. I can already picture her asking how my week was and somehow getting an answer that begins in the nineteenth century. I’m a part-time musician, so maybe the music would actually interest her. We do have things in common. I’d like to hear what she has to say about them, assuming I leave an opening.
In preparation for this date, I’ve started going to the gym in a panic. There are six days to go. I’m aware of roughly how much a gym can accomplish in six days, and yet there I am. Apparently I’d rather count reps than sit at home wondering what made her swipe right.
I’m dating in the hope of finding something long-term, and I’m genuinely curious about her. I also haven’t met her yet. At this point, the only person who’s turned a first date into a major event is me, and she was perfectly casual about saying yes.
So, if you’ve gone out with someone you found intimidatingly attractive, how did you settle down enough to enjoy the date? And if you’ve ever picked the funny, fairly ordinary-looking guy from a stack of handsome faces, what specifically made you want to meet him? I’ve got six days and, at this rate, very sore legs.
