The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions

As a single woman, I have several well-meaning friends (most of whom are in couples) who, from time to time, mention that they'd like to set me up with someone. Now, although I am currently feeling somewhat laissez-faire about dating, I always reply positively. Sure, I say, just let me know when. Great, they say, we'll arrange brunch/cocktails/dinner.

Which never happens.

I'm sure my reaction to this is somehow tied in to my feelings about timing and scheduling in general, but I would be absolutely shocked if one of these "set-ups" actually came to fruition. It's not that my friends don't mean well. They do. And even my family has tried to get into the game (Laren, we just talked to the Goldbergs and their 35-year-old son who lives in New York is single -- isn't that fantastic?!). But what they don't realize is that it does me absolutely no good to hear that there's some random guy out there they know whose company I might enjoy. I'm sure there are at least a few. The difference between the specific guy that has been discussed and the absolute stranger, however, is that there is someone I know, the aforementioned friend or family member, who can actually make a phone call or send an email to increase the odds that the two of us may actually meet. We may or may not like each other -- who knows? But the bottom line is this -- you are in a position to have some degree of influence over the situation. It's not that hard to pull together a handful of people to grab a cocktail on any given night. I do it all the time. But if you're not willing or able to make it happen, don't even bother mentioning it. You might as well be saying to me, hey Laren, there's this really cool guy I know that you might like; perhaps the two of you will bump smack into each other on a streetcorner one day. Yes, I respond, perhaps we will. There are only a few million people in Manhattan. I'll keep my eye out for him.

Comments

[WeightyWednesday]

Okay he was a little creepy, but at least i followed through with the editor guy named Mark, right?

[Laren]

Yes you did -- that was above and beyond the call of duty -- you didn't even know the guy!

[alizinha]

Amen, sister. I feel EXACTLY the same way.