Valentine’s Day is approaching and while that may be exciting for some, others have been stuck in the Austin dating trenches for too long. We recently asked y’all for your dating stories — the good, the bad, the missed connections, and more — and you absolutely delivered! Here’s a handful of stories that came through our inbox:
These have been edited for style and clarity.
Stuck in a Clique-ish World
“I just wanted to give you my take on ‘Dating in Austin’ as a 30-something widowed gay man. Having moved to Austin after 14 years in Houston, I’ve found dating here to be difficult at best. To me, Austin feels so much more clique-ish than my experience coming of age in Houston. It’s been hard to connect and make new friends or meet someone interested in a date. This may be specific to the gay community, or more widely typical, but there seems to be a focus on sexual encounters as a precursor to any more serious connection. As a late 30s gay man who has had a deep and meaningful connection with a partner and lost that, sexual connection is important but not within the first few things I’m looking for. Needless to say, it’s been disheartening putting myself back into the dating pond in Austin this last year.”
– Eric I.
Sour Grapes
“Dating stories? Well, once I asked a woman from a dating app if she wanted to go to Fat Bottom Cabaret. Bought two VIP tickets. Got stood up. And you know what? A year later I was dumb enough to do it again with a different woman. Got stood up again. I have given up! Such sour grapes. ”
-AH
Missed You at the Coffee Shop
“I was waiting in line at Desnudo coffee and I saw a cute guy with a “The Ren & Stimpy Show” sweatshirt. He looked like a younger version of John Legend. Anyway, I couldn’t believe it because Ren and Stimpy was my favorite show back in the day, and not a lot of people know about it – and he didn’t look old enough to know about it. He was behind me in line and I was trying to get up the nerve to say something when a girl walked up. I thought ‘oh well, he’s taken.’ As I’m walking away I hear him ask if she’s ‘heard from mom’ and I immediately get excited. I’m waiting for my order to be ready. He finishes ordering and stands next to me to wait. I look up and smile and he says, ‘Hey I think you dropped your thing.’ I’d dropped my scrunchie. I said, ‘Oh, thanks!’
I bent down, grabbed my scrunchie and just kinda stood there smiling and fidgeting. They called my name, but I was being so awkward I missed it, so they called it again and I guess pointed at me and I STILL missed it, so HE had to say, ‘Hey I think that’s yours.’ And he flashed me the cutest smile I’ve literally ever seen. I immediately got embarrassed, got my coffee, and got away as quickly as I could. Such a bummer.”
-Jen T.
Blanking on Love
“I saw a new girl at my apartment gym. She had her headphones on but she was quietly singing a song from this band called Cigarettes After Sex. Since we were the only two there, I didn’t want to be the creep and try to talk to her, so I just finished my work out listening to her sing the songs.
After about 15 minutes, she looked at me and said, ‘Oh I’m sorry. Was I singing out loud?’ I said, ‘Yeah, but I love that band so it’s OK.’
Then, she said, ‘I just found them, what song is your favorite?’ I BLANKED. Totally blanked! So I said… ‘I’m blanking right now.’ She paused, smiled, and said, ‘OK tell me the next time you see me!’ And then (she) left AND I DIDN'T STOP HER! Why am I like this?”
-Jason M.
Who Is Emily?
“I went on a date with a guy I met on Hinge. Important context here: I’m non-monogamous and he is too. Anyway, we had a great dinner date and we seemed to be getting along REALLY well so when he suggested a second location, I was totally up for it. He suggested we go to Mayfair. I’d never been, so I agreed. The first red flag was that the line was out the door and he walked right up to the front and the door guy looked at me and went, ‘Oh… haven’t seen you before.’
Second red flag: We walk up stairs and he is essentially dragging me. But I still was like, ‘Well maybe he’s just excited.’
We get inside and I can tell he’s looking for someone, so I ask, ‘Are you looking for someone?’ He goes ‘Yeah! Looking for Emily.’ I’m thinking ‘Who the f*** is Emily?’
Emily is one of his partners! He took me to go meet and dance with one of his partners on our FIRST DATE. Needless to say, that was also our last date. Non-monogamous or not, communication is key, and he clearly failed at that.”
-Meghan R.
