Wow. What's going on? So here I am, at a singles event. Lots of people: lots of men, lots of women. There are many people I know from seeing them at these and other similar events before, as I'm no stranger here. I check out what's happening. Guys are hitting on the women, as expected. It has to be expected. I mean, why would a woman attend such an event if not to meet guys and vice-versa? I'm a decent dancer, and several women are appreciative when I take them out to the dance floor. Some more so than others, but that's not the topic of this story.
In between dances, I sit around chatting with people. Sometimes, I chat with other men, sort of comparing notes and seeing how we're doing. Sometimes, I chat with women, because that's why I'm there. We men are there to meet women and women are there to meet us guys. I think we are all on board on this, right? It's pretty black and white.
So I'm talking with this one woman who seems asian, but I could be wrong. She looks a lot like Diane Keaton. She has the eyes and the smile of Diane Keaton. I ask, "So how's your night?" She answers that it's been fun, her legs and feet are a bit tired from dancing. She's been having a great time. So I go in for the killer pitch: "Hi, I'm Eric. I don't see your name tag, what's your name?" "Nope, I'm not telling." What? Was that answer specifically for me or was that her great counter-intro? I was about to just say, "see ya," when I decided to chat along for a bit more.
She didn't want me to know her name at a singles get-together. I don't get it. I go back to my beer. Another woman comes by. She, at least, has her name tag on, but it's hard to see because it's placed near her hips, to the side. It looks like Karen, but could be Karina or Kristen. She's more direct: "Hey, I saw you out there dancing. Want to dance?" Wow, great. Here's a woman who's direct and honest, no beating around the bush.
I answer in the affirmative to her request. It's fine, because most women who are brave enough to ask are also capable enough to trip the light fantastic. We go out to the very crowded dance floor and have a great time grooving to the tunes. The DJ did a great job. I gotta commend him for that.
Ok, this Karen/Karina/Kristen has seen me dance. She knows what I can do. So, we're dancing and I calmly catch her right hand with my left. I'm bringing her closer for some dance moves. She calmly jerks back, pulls her hand out of mine and says, "I don't like to be spun. I have a headache." Huh? I guess some people have limits.
On the other hand, I'm looking around and tall-blonde, who was grooving to several other dance partners over the course of the evening, has decided to stand pat with her catch of the evening: an equally tall gentleman who is unfurling his tongue down her willing throat, while they're still dancing. Rounding first and heading for second base, I noticed.
Then there was this woman whom I've met several times at these gatherings. We actually went out one momentous night a few weeks back. After that date, she turned incommunicado, claiming her back pain has kept her immobile. I've no reason to disbelieve the claim, so other than some soothing texts, I didn't push on asking her out again. But, here she is, at the event. She sees me and waves at me. She comes over at one point and says that her back still hurts, so she won't be dancing at all tonight. No sooner than that sentence was uttered, she's out there dancing with her date of the evening.
So why do women make such lame excuses? I'm sure men are equally guilty of piling on the BS, but I wouldn't know, as I'm usually not on the receiving end. But at the end, is there a reason to be evasive and deceptive? There's a recent meme on FB and other places that many people at the event would wholly share on their FB pages, "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." Yet, people stay within their comfort zone and mask reality with little lies and deceptions, more for themselves than for the recipient, I gather.
So all in all, it was a fun evening of dancing and socializing. But it was a uniquely interesting opportunity to study human social dynamics. It's quite fascinating and rather odd at the same time. The internal conflicts that people - men and women - have are palpable. One can see the anxiety and fear emanating from even the most suave and confident man or sexy and gregarious woman. Maybe in this milieu, we're all gun shy after having been up and down the dating roller-coaster once too often. Maybe we're still newbies to the new millennium's social codes and conducts. Whatever the case is, I do at least enjoy watching and being a part of this curious social experiment.
In between dances, I sit around chatting with people. Sometimes, I chat with other men, sort of comparing notes and seeing how we're doing. Sometimes, I chat with women, because that's why I'm there. We men are there to meet women and women are there to meet us guys. I think we are all on board on this, right? It's pretty black and white.
So I'm talking with this one woman who seems asian, but I could be wrong. She looks a lot like Diane Keaton. She has the eyes and the smile of Diane Keaton. I ask, "So how's your night?" She answers that it's been fun, her legs and feet are a bit tired from dancing. She's been having a great time. So I go in for the killer pitch: "Hi, I'm Eric. I don't see your name tag, what's your name?" "Nope, I'm not telling." What? Was that answer specifically for me or was that her great counter-intro? I was about to just say, "see ya," when I decided to chat along for a bit more.
She didn't want me to know her name at a singles get-together. I don't get it. I go back to my beer. Another woman comes by. She, at least, has her name tag on, but it's hard to see because it's placed near her hips, to the side. It looks like Karen, but could be Karina or Kristen. She's more direct: "Hey, I saw you out there dancing. Want to dance?" Wow, great. Here's a woman who's direct and honest, no beating around the bush.
I answer in the affirmative to her request. It's fine, because most women who are brave enough to ask are also capable enough to trip the light fantastic. We go out to the very crowded dance floor and have a great time grooving to the tunes. The DJ did a great job. I gotta commend him for that.
Ok, this Karen/Karina/Kristen has seen me dance. She knows what I can do. So, we're dancing and I calmly catch her right hand with my left. I'm bringing her closer for some dance moves. She calmly jerks back, pulls her hand out of mine and says, "I don't like to be spun. I have a headache." Huh? I guess some people have limits.
On the other hand, I'm looking around and tall-blonde, who was grooving to several other dance partners over the course of the evening, has decided to stand pat with her catch of the evening: an equally tall gentleman who is unfurling his tongue down her willing throat, while they're still dancing. Rounding first and heading for second base, I noticed.
Then there was this woman whom I've met several times at these gatherings. We actually went out one momentous night a few weeks back. After that date, she turned incommunicado, claiming her back pain has kept her immobile. I've no reason to disbelieve the claim, so other than some soothing texts, I didn't push on asking her out again. But, here she is, at the event. She sees me and waves at me. She comes over at one point and says that her back still hurts, so she won't be dancing at all tonight. No sooner than that sentence was uttered, she's out there dancing with her date of the evening.
So why do women make such lame excuses? I'm sure men are equally guilty of piling on the BS, but I wouldn't know, as I'm usually not on the receiving end. But at the end, is there a reason to be evasive and deceptive? There's a recent meme on FB and other places that many people at the event would wholly share on their FB pages, "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." Yet, people stay within their comfort zone and mask reality with little lies and deceptions, more for themselves than for the recipient, I gather.
So all in all, it was a fun evening of dancing and socializing. But it was a uniquely interesting opportunity to study human social dynamics. It's quite fascinating and rather odd at the same time. The internal conflicts that people - men and women - have are palpable. One can see the anxiety and fear emanating from even the most suave and confident man or sexy and gregarious woman. Maybe in this milieu, we're all gun shy after having been up and down the dating roller-coaster once too often. Maybe we're still newbies to the new millennium's social codes and conducts. Whatever the case is, I do at least enjoy watching and being a part of this curious social experiment.