Single Men

I got my first computer with Internet in 1996. I had left my job at the Irish Rovers Free House (for "moral reasons", more on my adventures there another day) and not taking a vacation day during my (almost three) years there, gave me a nice lump sum cheque. Which I used to purchase my first real computer. 

I remember setting it up in the corner of my bedroom and plugging in the dial-up modem. I set up an email address, and I'm pretty sure I was set up in Windows 95. I used my Netscape (!!) internet browser to get to whatever search engine was used the most at the time (Google didn't even exist yet!) I looked at that little search box. I could type ANYTHING in there, and find information about it?!?! The idea was overwhelming. 

Kids today, seriously. You have no idea. 

I typed in SINGLE MEN and hit Enter. Why not?

A ton of links came up. The first one was American Singles. I clicked on it. 

So many profiles! Wow! I don't even remember how online dating profiles worked back then. I think it was free to post a profile, but you had to pay to message anyone. But it was free to receive a message. Or it may have even been free for women, period. All I remember is that I didn't send any messages, but on a whim I decided to create a profile and see what happened. 

I swear it was within minutes that I was receiving emails! Mostly from men in foreign countries like Egypt and Turkey. Declaring their love for me. Sending me pictures. It was crazy! It was also a lot of fun. I didn't engage with any of these men, declaring their love for me based on an Internet profile with no picture was a bit much.

One email was from a guy in Russia. He had attached a sound file, and his email actually sounded like he was a decent guy. Ah, first time interneters, we knew nothing. The sound file was of him introducing himself, and hoping we could stay in touch. He probably edited my name in there, as it sounded personal. He said he worked in computer animation, and really wanted to get out of Russia. It sounded awful... He went into a lot of detail about his horrible life there. 

I decided to email him back. Over the course of maybe one or two days, we corresponded a few times. And now he decided he loved me, and sent another sound file. THIS one was a marriage proposal. THIS one was generic, and he didn't even say my name. THIS one was probably sent to all the different women he was corresponding with in North Anerica, hoping for a bite. He never heard from ME again! I wonder how that worked out for him, if he ever got out of Russia? 

I think I did keep my profile up there for a long time, even though the craziness slowed down. I eventually put a photo in my profile, a good one, of course. I went for coffee with one man I met on there. We didn't talk long, it was more of a "you're in Čalgary? I'm in Calgary! Let's meet...." it didn't amount to anything, and I never talked to him again. Not that I was interested, but I'm sure the fact I had been diagnosed with MS and by then was using a cane (it must have been 1998) wasn't a huge turn on...