Neil Hopcroft

A digital misfit

What if the highly recommended cafe you decided to take someone special to was closed on the day you go? What if you ended up walking all over town to find somewhere else? What if the place you chose served mediocre food in a smoky non-smoking area? What if you then couldn’t find coffee afterwards? What if the station was further away than you thought it was? What if she missed her train?

How would you fix this situation?


Categories: Memories.

/ 18 Comments

18 comments

  2. susanofstohelit

    flowers to her work if you feel bad about it, and promise a better time next time if she’ll ever speak to you again (of course she will).

    as an aside, I think flowers should always be sent to work because then she gets to show off all day.

    Reply
    • neilh

      Worth a go, not that I see her particularly often anyway (I’m not sure how to fix that without turning into another stalker, she seems to have quite a collection of them already)

      Reply
        • neilh

          Or I just walk away, chalking up another one to bitter experience and go back to being permanently single…? No, I’ll give it another go, if she will. Now, just gotta find a reason to happen to be passing Oxford…

          Reply
  4. purple_peril

    Heh heh, something not dissimilar happened to me last week!
    Well, I assume you made sure she got home safely.
    Send her a nice message, apologetic but funny, and send her some flowers. Ask her out again!

    Reply
    • ingaborg

      Sounds sensible to me. Also, for the next date, check the place out in advance and establish that they’re open (book a table if possible). Similarly if you suggest cinema or theatre, make absolutely sure you know where it is, when it is, and when the programme starts.

      It sounds cringingly embarrassing and annoying, but if she likes you at all, then she’ll give it another go. Especially if you can organise a superior date :)

      Al was telling me about some company who employed two sub-contractors to do two similar jobs. One just got the job done, on budget and schedule. The other kept on making mistakes, but eventually finished rather late by working extra hours. Guess which company they re-hired. Yup, not the one who simply did the job right first time, but the one who was seen to overcome difficulties, even though the difficulties were of their own making.

      Reply
    • neilh

      She made her train connection – I was just about to text to find out how she’d got on when I discovered she’d already sent a message.

      Reply
    • Anonymous

      Agree with this one

      Nothing melts a girls heart faster than a boy who can cook!! (or makes the effort to at least..) Also flowers for any reason or for no reason are fantastic..

      Reply
        • neilh

          Re: Agree with this one

          Doing alright (apart from the obvious failure that launched this thread) – jobs a bit boring, but we’re not really getting going yet, they’ve just put me in on another project to keep me busy until the one I’m supposed to work in actually starts, but I’m only there until January so they’d better get a move on…house is mostly unpacked…not much else to report…looking forward to you popping by…

          Reply
      • neilh

        Re: Agree with this one

        Flowers (or indeed, other gifts) for no apparent reason have always been met with ‘What are you trying to apologise for?’ reactions from previous girlfriends. Wary of such things. Should learn to cook, too, shouldn’t I? Not very good at veggie food.

        Reply
        • ingaborg

          Re: Agree with this one

          You might like to check out the tapas bar in Rose Crescent, Don Pasquale in the market, and the roof restaurant at the Arts Theatre. None of them specialises in vegetarian food, but I believe they have some, and perhaps slightly posher surroundings. Check the menus first though!

          Have you asked her out again yet?

          Reply
  7. ingaborg

    I don’t like being given flowers. They just sit and die at you.

    Chocolate and wine are ok, but actually I would prefer somebody to arrange a successful date, because that’s practical and to the point, and shows they want to spend time with me rather than just making gestures.

    But then I’m weird!

    Reply

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