THE good-looking guy who sat in front of me was talking and gesturing animatedly.
I wasn't sure what he was droning on about.
I had tuned out about five minutes earlier, shortly after he launched into the story of him earning his first million.
"Uh huh," I said, as I nodded absent-mindedly.
I contemplated eating another piece of bread.
You see, another piece of bread would sit rather heavily in my tummy and probably ruin my appetite subsequently.
(Yes, we hadn't even touched our mains.)
I sighed inwardly as I feigned interest at what the suave young man was saying.
He could really go on and on and on - about himself.
I wanted to smile because it was funny. Funny that he was trying to impress the hell out of me but, instead, what he thought would impress actually turned me off.
It was probably just me.
I'm sure some girls would have been impressed by his list of credentials. For me, I just wanted to go home.
We've all had dates from hell.
You probably have far worse stories than I have.
I had been pretty lucky so far (probably because I was fastidiously picky with who I went out with).
The only "hellish" ones I've had involved men who just could not stop talking about themselves.
Come to think of it, that's not that bad because I would prefer a talkative date to a shy, reticent one. Besides, you can't fault a guy for putting in effort to impress, can you?
I've had more nice dates than bad ones. I like the simple ones that involved good food (and drinks), engaging conversation and a certain inexplicable sizzling chemistry.
Chemistry doesn't have to be erotic to sizzle.
It comes about when two kindred spirits get together. It forms the foundation of a great friendship and, in some cases, a long-lasting relationship.
The dates I remember fondly are not due to the guys in question but merely that they happened in an age of innocence, where texting and the Internet were not common. You had to get to know someone by actually talking to him or her, in person or over the phone.
It was also a time when you took your time to get to know someone.
It was a time when the first instance of holding hands was a big deal and a big step forward.
None of my "dates from heaven" took place in a fancy setting.
Instead, the most memorable ones I can recall off the top of my head include a Valentine's Day beach picnic one evening in 1995, when I was a wee teen.
Another unfolded one magical night under the stars, at some park in 1998, when I was a teenager on the cusp of adulthood.
As I got older, the dates got hotter, though not necessarily sweeter.
Go figure.
The writer is a Star Blogger with Stomp, The Straits Times' social-networking and citizenmedia website. This blog post first appeared on Stomp. Go to www.stomp.com.sg to read what the other Star Bloggers have to say about this issue.
