On Line Dating.

On Line Dating.

It was when I was pounding away on the treadmill in my local gym the other day, that my current thinking on this subject evolved.

All around me were dedicated Daduch torchbearers of the Eleusinian Mysteries, (Hatfield Branch): pumping their pecs, clenching their glutes, and invariably admiring their gluteus maximus’s in the wall-to-wall mirrors at that particular establishment. Myself, I was just striding out the steps and looking forward to a coffee afterwards.

But my attention was taken by one of the TV screens strategically placed at the head of each treadmill. It was showing a mid-morning chat show involving four women of a certain age, where it seemed that forthright opinions and good TV ratings mattered more than declining youthful looks.

The particular utterance that struck me was when one lady, talking about the phenomena of the pandemic, described it as a “sexual recession.” This struck me as strange, as I always thought a recession related to matters of an economic nature?

But then I realized that it was just another example of how our usage of the English language is evolving. Wolf’s nemeses; the politically correct brigade was making further inroads.

Where would it stop, if in fact it ever would? Perhaps we will move onto energy efficient, sustainable, green porn; or would the pendulum at last return the other way, allowing us to regain the germinating purity of long ago? It is a hope akin the often-repeated word of Odysseus in Homer

“Endure my heart,
Worse hast thou endured.”

To make my case, there is as an example, more poetry, and more originality in "Byrhtnoth," a song of a defeat at the hands of the Danes, when the warrior enters the field of battle:

“Let from his hands his lief hawk fly,
His hawk to the holt, and to battle he stepped.”

But as usual, I digress. So back to our ladies on the panel who appeared to be complaining about the effects the pandemic were having on the courtship of women by those brutish men.

It is of course important to recognize that this particular aspect of social intercourse is not helped by the necessity of using virtual online dating as a precaution against Covid. The initial instances of; eyes meeting across a room; the chemistry of instinct at first visual impressions, the fear of rejection, the hope of acceptance were all on hold.

But as we emerged back into the buds of normality it was interesting to note that the complaints from the panel post lockdown included:

“They, (the male of the species) want to go to bed on the first date!!”

“They, (ditto) are so tactile now!!”

I’m not sure if in fact I sympathize. It’s the most basic instinct on both sides, and who would not expect as such from all that built up testosterone over 14 months?

Perhaps, like the usage of the English language that I touched upon, things will revert, the dance will take its course and there will be no kissing at the first dalliance!

I love this. Flirting, what about flirting? ''eyes meeting across a room; the chemistry of instinct at first visual impressions, the fear of rejection, the hope of acceptance were all on hold."

The eyes you can see, the eyebrows too, but not the mouth or chin. So what expressions are expressed with the mouth alone? Plenty. The women to ask about this are wearing hijabs. They must flirt with just eyes and gestures and words, is that it?

Gee wiz, wish I'd written that line of yours I quoted.

Thanks Steve

Actually the female of the species in the Middle East are quite adept at flirting with their eyes alone in their enveloping apparel. And you might also just get a glimpse of a well turned ankle in expensive high heels. The most amazing I found were the Iranian ladies. Black, liquid eyes; like pools of ink that both draw you in and frighten you with the chasm of their substance.

Take good care.
M.