A Safe Date

I dated a ton before my mission.  One time I even had 8 dates during the same week (I might have had to stretch the definition of "date" a bit for that -- I counted homework dates where we got a snack afterwards).  I recall talking to a mission companion about how much I enjoyed those dates.  This particular companion had known me before the mission and laughed.  He explained to me that the girls enjoyed dating me because I was "safe."  Somehow I broadcasted to the girls around me that dating me would be just for fun -- I was not into drama and going steady and all that.  My companion explained that it was like when girls liked dating gay guys -- they were safe dates, free from drama and stress.



Still, to this day, I tend to think that my companion didn't (and still doesn't) know that my orientation really is gay.  But it was an interesting way to think about it.  Many on my mission would make predictions on how long after returning home certain elders would be married.  Usual predictions for me would be around 6 months.  I'd laugh internally, knowing that it was a virtual certainty that I wouldn't be married any time soon.  When I returned from my mission, I wanted to continue my fun non-serious dating ways.  But, you see, I met this girl and we really liked each other.  And she's the only girl I ever really dated with actual serious intentions. And almost two years after returning, I was married.  I still get to date for fun without any of that drama.  But it's always with the same girl.