Spade Work

Dating services, and in particular introduction agencies, have been getting a bad press recently. The papers of full of women complaining about various agencies and their inability to find them suitable dates, in fact some of them are actually suing their dating agency. Whist men are simply happy that the woman has turned up for a date (we’re simply pleased - and if you bring beer too we’ll be ready to marry) their women clients are becoming rather agitated by their raft of unsuitable dates.

Mind you, you do have to have some sympathy with them. Considering that some of these agencies charge thousands of pounds for their services you’d expect them to provide a half decent service. When a person asks for a home-owning, non-smoking, self-sufficient and rugged man you’d naturally be rather disappointed when the agency matches you with a smoker, marathon runner or a postman (no disrespect to postmen there).

But that is where my sympathy ends. What these people are doing is expecting another person to know exactly what they like. Sure, they do know some things, after all you’ve just ticked a pile of boxes and answered a questionnaire that wouldn’t be out of place on a tax return form, but where is their own leg work? Where is their effort to find out about someone, rather than them just turning up for a date and hoping for the best? After all, it’s not as if you’re ordering a pizza now is it?

At least with Match.com you have to do the searching, making contact, striking up a conversation and then deciding whether it’s worth pursuing. And yes, even that good old fashioned glance across a crowded bar at least gives you an idea of what to expect. So, litigating ladies, put your pens down, stop complaining and see if you can do any better.