I�m trying to think of a way to explain why dating just becomes so hard and demoralizing sometimes. And why one bad date can bring down the smile factor so many degrees.
It�s like drinking milk (for those of us who drink milk).
We see the commercials. Although we know we don�t need milk to make life wonderful, when we eat a cookie or some cake, we can�t help but think that it would be better with a creamy glass of milk. So the cookie tastes good� but a good glass of milk would enhance the taste of the cookie. It would compliment it. Milk � good. Cookie � good. Milk and Cookie � better.
I see other people drinking milk. I see other people enjoying milk. I know good milk exists. I�ve TASTED good milk. I just never seem to buy the good milk. I�ve only tasted it at other people�s parties and heard people gush about how great it is.
If you�ve gotten to be 38, and you�ve tasted a lot of milk, and you haven�t found any that didn�t curdle and go sour, then you start to believe that there just isn�t any good milk out there, or that if there is, that you just are not allowed to have it. You lose your belief in your ability to have good milk in your life. You learn to eat your cookies dry, and just accept that that is how it�s supposed to be for you.
It can be so deceptive too. You buy a carton of milk. The date on it says it�s fresh. You open it, it smells fresh. It looks fresh. It�s not until you taste it that you find out how sour it truly is. The taste of it stays in your mouth for a while and the memory keeps you from trying milk. You boycott milk but look longingly at other�s who are drinking it.
You�ve tried all the brands, gone to all the specialty stores, even gone straight to the farm. But all you get is curdled milk and a sour stomach.
So after a lot of sour milk, some friends tell you about some good milk, some sweat and creamy milk. You don�t dare believe this milk exists still in the market. After all, you�ve searched and searched for milk of this kind without success. But they persist and you finally give in and agree to try the milk. So a weekend is arranged. The milk is sipped. The milk is perfect. Just the right texture, the right amount of sweetness and cream, not too heavy and dense, just right, a perfect accompaniment to rich sweet brownies. You continue to taste the milk over a couple of days. The milk retains its flavor over time. You begin to believe, not only that good milk exists, but the possibility that you can have good milk in your diet. You banish all the memories of sour milk, of curdles in your throat. You begin to plan meals with the milk, hoping it will stay in the stores just long enough for you to make your purchase. But the sweet taste of this milk does not last. And after several wonderful days of sipping, you find the milk has once again gone sour. It takes you by surprise this time. You had almost begun to hope that your days of curdled milk were over.
At this point in life� To protect my health and the health of my stomach, I guess I just have to learn to eat my cookies alone.
