Hello guys. Hayden, here. Welcome to my new blog! Mates on Dates is a safe, no-holes-barred online space where I’ll take on issues related to the sometimes thrilling, often perplexing, and uncommonly crapshooty world of gay dating. Said another way, if a subject touches on a dude trying to woo another dude, it’s fair game. Speaking of which, let’s begin!
For this inaugural installment, I’ve chosen a provocative title. It’s actually autobiographical, which will soon become apparent.
It all started a week ago when I’d finally got up the courage to cross the dance floor at Hunter’s and talk to this cute guy. (I’m instituting a practice of keeping real names out of this). I’ll call him Chester. I’d noticed Chester for several weeks. He ticked all my boxes. Chiefly among them: dreamy. Corny? One thousand percent! But that’s the first word that pops to mind whenever I see him or think of him or imagine him strolling the beach in board shorts, his golden hair wet and tousled from the surf.
It turns out Chester is super cool, easy to talk to, and we have lots in common. For example, we both love tennis and Sci-fi. And—wait for it—we’re both teachers! For those of you who don’t know me, I teach junior high; Chester teaches elementary special ed—that’s a knee-wobbler, right there!
The next day, we texted and agreed to meet at a local coffee shop. As I sat waiting for Chester to arrive, my stomach began churning. I mean, seriously churn. My mind jumped to a complete recounting of all food and drink I’d consumed earlier that day, including the ingredients of my dinner the night before. Determination: nothing that would explain my somersaulting intestines.
Then suddenly it hit me: butterflies! But not your garden-variety fluttering; this was a butterfly stampede!
Chester arrived right on time, further invigorating my internal frenzy (I find punctuality a turn-on). The next ninety minutes flew by—pun intended—and we agreed to meet up again soon. I left the café as happy as a teacher on the first day of summer break. But what most stuck in my mind was the lingering discombobulation in my belly: butterflies.
And now to the moral of my story. Although not every date will let loose a stampede of butterflies, isn’t that the sensation we desire? Isn’t that why we keep putting ourselves out there? Aren’t we all looking for that ONE special guy who gives us all the signs of indigestion? I am. If that sounds like you, I hope you’ll keep reading.
Till next time, I’m Hayden
And remember, if you can’t be good, be safe!