Singles Life:
One woman's trash, another woman's treasure
By Dana Greene
Feb. 1, 2008

"I had this patient named Elaine," said Jen, an attractive, 29-year-old physical therapist. "Elaine was a bleached blond in her 40s -- trying to look in her 20s."

According to Jen, Elaine had a big heart and was very funny. Every time she came in to the clinic, she would tell her about this nice, Jewish single guy who was her lawn boy, or gardener.

The gardener happened to own his lawn company and seemed to be successful. Every time Elaine came into the clinic for physical therapy treatment, she would describe his thick brown hair and big brown eyes. He was so cute and the son of a doctor she would exclaim.

"One time Elaine asked if she could set me up on a date with this man," Jen said. Jen was reluctant to accept because her patients always wanted to fix her up. But this woman was forceful, "so forceful that finally I just had to agree," she said.

Jen wondered what Elaine was telling this guy about her. "Was she telling him that I was gorgeous, smart, successful -- the same characteristics that she had described in him?"

Elaine and her husband arranged the date at a local Italian restaurant. All Jen and the gardener had to do was show up.

The foursome sat down for dinner. "From the very start, it was awkward," Jen said. "He was very quiet. I spent much of the date asking questions, searching for something we had in common. He would respond to my questions by making eye contact with Elaine's husband. He never once looked at me. It was the weirdest thing."

"When we finished dinner, he walked me to my car. He didn't ask for my number, nor for a second date. We both knew the evening was a bomb."

Fast forward two years. Jen had been married for one month (not to the gardener) and the newlyweds went on a camping trip with their old, Jewish, singles group. Saturday night there was a campfire. In the shadows, Jen noticed a female acquaintance kissing a newcomer to the group.

Jen elbowed her new husband and said with a wink, "Check out the lovebirds."

Later that evening, Jen met the same woman in the bathroom. "Hey Melissa, who's this new guy you're dating?" Jen asked. "Actually, he's someone you had a really bad date with two years ago," Melissa responded.

At first Jen didn't remember. But then suddenly Jen remembered the face she had seen in the shadows and the horrible evening at the Italian restaurant. "Not James, the gardener!"

Melissa's response: "Yeah, I'm so happy your blind date didn't work out because I really like him and things are going well."

Jen's response: "I'm excited for you and guess what -- I just got married!" Both women wished each other well and parted ways.

So what can we gather from this Singles Situation? One woman's trash is another woman's treasure.