Phone Voices Can Be Deceiving

Blind dates. Many of us have had them, and others are thankful that they never did. Sometimes those dates can be great, but more times than not, they are disappointing.

Over one phone chat or several, we hear our date’s voice and with that small bit of detail, our imagination forms a picture of what they look like. A perfect fit for us, we think. The excitement is overwhelming as the day arrives for us to meet them. Then, in a moments time, our excitement is crushed. We see them and realize that they are nothing like what we had imagined.

What do we do? Do we stay and play nice, or fake an emergency call and run out the door never to see them again?

When I was a teenager, I came face to face with that decision. A girlfriend of mine had set me up with a guy she knew. Through her, he and I exchanged phone numbers. Over the course of the next few weeks, we spoke on the phone every day. Our phone conversations would go on for hours, as I listened to his deep voice and his sweet words. Everything he said, made me blush with excitement. I couldn’t wait to meet him.

Finally, after weeks of talking over the phone, the day came for us to meet. As he rounded the corner, I could not believe my eyes. He was nothing like I had pictured in my mind.

Although people should be able to look beyond the exterior and see the person within, I was only a teenager. Most teens haven’t yet grasp the concept of ‘it’s what’s on the inside that counts.’ Even still, I contemplated what to do. After all, he was very kind and sincere. He made me laugh constantly, and I felt very comfortable talking with him. Aside from his appearance, he was a great catch.

Even so, I’m ashamed to admit, the superficial side of me took over. After moments of contemplation, my decision was made, and I came up with a plan of escape. We chatted for a while, as I kindly smiled and laughed with him. Eventually our first meeting came to an end. He happily headed home, saying that he would call me once he got there.

An hour later, my phone rang. It was time to initiate my plan. With faked sadness, I answered the phone. “My parents said that you are too old for me. I can’t date you. I’m sorry.” Being that he was only a few months older than me, he couldn’t understand why my parents would say such a thing. “They’re very strict,” I told him.

He bought it! That was the end of that. Even though I felt guilty for lying, I was also filled with a great sense of relief.

We did remain friends, and as fate would have it, a couple years later we were dating. The years changed us both, in different ways. Our relationship still ended after a few years, but I did learn a valuable lesson.

The pages inside the book are more important than its cover.

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Two prompts in one.

This post is a part of the Daily Post prompt: Worlds Colliding and Binding Judgment.