DATING IN A SMALL TOWN RUMOR MILL

“Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip.”

 Will Rogers

Single people, connecting, dating, looking for love. It seems pretty universal to me, finding and maintaining love. Perhaps a desire for love is an innate condition of the human heart?

Dating in a small town has its own set of nuances. For example; dating someone that one of your friends or acquaintances had dated. Coming to understand that someone knows or has dated that other someone.

Rumor mills can spread like fire in a small town, no need for news feed. Details about so-and-so come streaming in with no filter welcomed or not. These “experiences” from others that they have dated so-and-so are just that, their experience.

Is it possible to disregard any or all gossip and just get to know your new date and how they fit with you?

I have moved to a small town. I have heard that one degree of separation exists here, that goes for dating as well. Any single has or known, or dated, or knows the other single, all very interconnected.

I inadvertently landed “The Bachelor” a seasoned dater to say the least. I have done my best to tune out the gossip and just allow our time together to be just that “ours”. Many words from others came in about how I was most likely the “next” girl in a girl-line of saucy girls numbered deep. Never mind a couple of the “last” girls still linger around for return to a familiar moment with “Bachelor”.

I went with my gut. I just liked to be with him, to be near him, we laughed. Not knowing how this would evolve I just took our moments together as they came.  I was more than ready to settle for a friendship with this “Bachelor” after all he had a pool of information on dating. His honesty was sometimes more than I cared to hear. Is it possible this Bachelor could hand me “keys” to the inside-skinny on men?

Being in a new town, especially a small one, I knew I had to watch my step. Any huge missteps would somehow be reported and attached to my reputation quickly. As a girl and a dater discovering things about men, people and myself is what is right for me.

If someone says so and so is a jerk. I can spend a few moments and see for myself. Dating may be a fun expedition into learning about someone else, jerk or not, nice guy or not?

Rumors be damned, life, love and dating will win in the end of the day, perhaps… even with the “Bachelor”.

You’ll never know unless you try.

My Mantra “My instincts can be more powerful than gossip”