The relationship advice I’ve gotten (and okay, given) hasn’t always been spot on.  And although its nobody’s fault when the guy you pursue ends up being gay or already has a girlfriend, the most consistent piece of good advice out there is this:

Find somebody that you have fun with.

For me, this presents a different kind of challenge: I have fun doing almost anything.  Even on dates where the guy has been unforgivably boring, rude, or just not for me (“Yeah, I don’t read”) I’ve found a way to have some modicum of fun with them. This translates, usually, into a second date, and sometimes into a relationship that I had no intention of being in.

On my fourth date with my current manfriend, we walked out of the restaurant to find an empty parking space where his car had been.  While I was hard at work demolishing him in a Wing Eating contest, his car was  being towed by the City of Minneapolis.  After bewilderment, his next reaction was hysterical laughter.  The snow was still falling, it was 11pm, and while neither of us knew where his car had ended up, it didn’t matter.  What was already an excellent date (Daniel Tosh live and awesome food) was suddenly The Best Date Ever.

The next day I drove his arse down to the impound lot, only to discover that 100 other unfortunate souls had spent their Friday nights in violation of snow emergency laws.  We waited for over an hour in line at a government agency and still I was laughing at everything he said. Two hours and a couple hundred dollars later, he had his car back and we ended what could be considered the Most Expensive Two-Day Date In History. And yet, I was officially in like with this dude.

But just because we accomplished the inconceivable feat of enjoying our time together while waiting in line at a city office where the women are wearing business casual sweatpants didn’t mean there wasn’t another test for us to take.

No, the only way to really know whether you like a dude is to take him shopping.  At the Mall of America.  After Thanksgiving.

And. That. Was. Fun. Too.

What does it all mean? I don’t know. But it’s nice to be smiling.

by Nora McInerny