I haven’t posted in a while. School started, and it takes me a few weeks to adjust. I’m going to relate something that happened, and I hope I get a few comments. I hooked up with a guy through the online dating service I joined. I was really optimistic and excited. He seemed nice, and I really liked his picture. I asked him what he did for a living, and he told me he is a wildlife photographer, and that his late wife had worked for the UN, so he’d been all over the world. Now, what would you think?
I thought, Cool! And of course I was anxious to see his work.
He also told me that he would be away for a month on assignment, so we weren’t going to meet for a while. Since I prefer to chat for a bit anyway, that was fine.
Now, wouldn’t you Google the guy? I mean, wouldn’t you be interested in seeing his work, finding out more about him, see who publishes his work? I know that was my first inclination. I couldn’t find a thing. If he ever sold a picture to any professional journal, book, magazine or anything digital or print, wouldn’t you think he’d pop up? If he really had his own business, wouldn’t you think he’d have an Internet presence?? A website?? How does he get clients? I found zilch, not even an address or city of residence. Can we spell “red flag?”
I have brothers. They were both single at one time. I got to talking to one of them, the one who had been single the longest, and this is what he told me. If you can’t find any evidence that this guy exists, then he probably doesn’t, not in the way he’s presented himself anyway. Guys lie. On the Internet, a guy can be anything and anyone he wants to be, and he’s just scamming you.
No. Can’t be. I went into this completely open and trusting because I’m sincere about finding someone. Don’t tell me after all these years I am still NAIVE! Ah, but I am. I emailed the man in question, told him I couldn’t find anything about him or his work on the Internet, and asked him to direct me to a place where I could see his work.
I hoped he would say, “Oh, sure. Go to such-and-such journal, issue whatever, or I’ll send you some samples. I want to put your concerns to rest.” Believe me, with all of my heart I hoped he would show some desire to address my concerns. He did not. He told me it was rude and impolite to look him up.
Hah! I got an earful about how rude and impolite I was. Like it’s not rude to make shit up??
I’m sure there are women out there who have experienced worse, gotten involved with con-artists, or jerks who are much worse. Aren’t there any sincere guys out there??
