Dating Support Network

Open scene. A sunny summer Sunday morning. A small, crunchy coffee shop on the Lower East Side of New York City. U2 plays softly in the background. Large pop art paintings of bull dogs and city landscapes on the walls. Hipsters and yuppies sharing free WiFi and tapping away on laptops. Seems like a perfect place for a boy meets girl romantic comedy  right? Please! That never happens! Not in real life. Well, on this one particular sweltering day in August my friends, the impossible took place. Cute boy meets cute girl and strikes up a conversation. A really good conversation. I mean, a “this couldn’t be scripted any better” kind of conversation. No alcohol involved (really). Smile and laughs are shared. Cards are exchanged. “He’s cute and mature,” girl thinks to herself (full disclosure – girl is actually more woman than girl being in her late 30s). The only problem is that boy is visiting from out of town. “I guess there could be bigger problems,” thinks girl. Fade to black…

Later in the week, girl gets a friend invitation from boy on a Facebook. Girl gladly accepts. Boy sends a very nice, thoughtful message. Girl is very pleased. And as any sensible female would do, girl takes a tour of boy’s profile. Multiple cute pictures (check). Lots of friends (check). Intelligent and witty posts (check). Twenty-four years old….CUT!

Not that any dates had been planned whatsoever, but the sheer injustice of this situation is almost comedic. Of course girl could still indulge in fantasies of future encounters with boy, but the thought of it just seems almost pointless. Like trying to blow up a balloon that’s been poked with pinholes. Not only does he live out of town, but he’s the Millennial to her Gen X. A long-distance, May-December double whammy. The conversation had gone so well! He’s tall and handsome! He uses big words when he writes! Why, God (sooobbbbb), why? Why must you torture girl so?

Girl and boy still periodically connect online, but that’s about it. What do you say DSN? Is this where the movie ends?