(Real life sample dating emails at the bottom of this page.)
The telephone rings, I push the keyboard tray back in, turn away from the large glass teat, grab the phone hanging on the wall and hit the on button.
A low throaty female voice says, "Check your email." Kimberly chuckles, "you gotta see the email I just got."
I pop Eudora to the front and tap a quick Command-M. It blats the new mail tones and spits Kimberly's email into my inbox. There is an incredulous silence as I read.
Before I go on you ought to know how Kimberly and I met: On one of the many Internet dating sites. We met a few years ago and while the romance didn't work out we are still quite close. She and I now share Internet dating stories, offer advice on profiles and email. We laugh and commiserate over the convoluted, frustrating process of online dating.
Today she has deposited a gem indeed into my mailbox. I have seen these kinds of emails a few times before. Have heard about them from time to time. Since "Sharing Is Good", read on:
To:
From:
Subject: hello my sexy lady
hi there i,m a 34 years old from [xxxxx] nj i sow your ad and pictures allow me to say you dont look your age you look more younger than [age],well i,m an honest guy and not into playing games i,m only looking if i can find a prety,sexy,down to earth and trust werthy lady to go out steady with but sure i like to be friends first,i,m not a pushy pearson i,m not looking for sex i,m looking to have some one that i would love and care for and hoping she will do the same so i,m writing to you hoping we can be friends any how i,m going to give you my yahoo id in case you have a yahoo mesenger so we can chat some day if you like?its [xxxxx] i,m looking forward to hear from you!if not i wish you best of luck.
truly yours
[someone]
She doesn't get email as bad as that every day, but a couple of weeks later another grammatically challenged gem arrived.
To:
From:
Subject: ciao principessa!!
Looking your profile and your photo my first think its: She is a class woman,a very style concentrate!! For me its very important that a woman have style and class. I'm an italian gentleman from Venezia and I was married with a noble-gentlewoman(now divorced) and I know what is style and what's class .I'm coming in this incredible city for live here,but in millions of people is very difficult discover style and class!! If you are like I think, you can be a perfect match for me and I(hope) for you!!!!!!!I work in a company(a part its mine) that import Italian good food and have a chain of little pasta/break shop. I'm a good cook,my passion its prepared italian food and my big pleasure its when in the night my princess back home,and find a rich table with good italian wine,special food and candle lights!!!!I love children they are the blood of life,too love animal; already in N.Y live my sister.She is married with an amer/ital guy. LooK my photo and my profile please and after........ Good luck sweet princess!! Sorry my bad english!!! Now I kiss your hand and I tell you arrivederci!! [xxxxx]
God bless this woman! Entertainment this good usually requires a cable box and a subscription to a movie channel. Kimberly seems to be on some kind of karmic dumb-guy mailing list. A few weeks later this one arrives:
To:
From:
Subject: [none]
what new you are looking for some one to have with going and and talking with give me a wisper ed
One of the things I dig about Kimberly is that she is even more sarcastic than me, god bless her!
She follows that gem with this comment, "And this guy is 55, has a college degree, runs his own business. Also says he's a non drinker. I think he needs a drink..."
No it's not "pick on the illiterate day." But if this crap landed in your lap you'd have to laugh. otherwise you'd end up in a local singles bar with an AK-47. No wonder she didn't respond.
YOU won't screw up like that. Nope, you were born in the good 'ol US of A. You speak (and write) English just perfect. You find an interesting lady on one of the dating services and send out your own first-contact masterpiece.
A couple of days go by with no response, then a week, then two. Maybe you screwed up in ways other than our grammatically challenged friends above. Time to ask yourself some questions.
If you can truthfully answer all of those questions and you still didn't get a response, well she obviously didn't follow mom's advice to always be polite to strangers. Hell, when I get an email from someone I always respond, even if my reaction is "Ick!" How hard is it to fire off a quick, no thank you?
Hi _____,
Thanx for the nice note, and your interest. But I don't think we are a great match.
Best of luck in your search.
Steve
The important points are that you thank them for showing interest regardless of whether or not you are repulsed. It doesn't cost a thing to be nice. By telling them you don't think that she and you are a great match you leave the reasons up in the air. Again, the point here is to avoid being hurtful. So what if she looked like an Army mule, or had an ugly tattoo, does it really matter? Wish her well and say goodbye. Be brief, but kind. Hell even a form letter is better than nothing and shows at least some consideration.
You did follow all the rules? And still didn't get a response? Console yourself that you are a better person than they are and move on.
But, If you sent an email that doesn't meet all of the rules, then don't get pissed if they don't respond. There are eight men for every one woman online, they have lots more to choose from.
That's why you didn't get an answer.
The strange emails from men and women keep rolling in. Some I get myself and others are sent to me by female friends who I beg and plead with ask for recent samples of their strange emails.
If you have interesting emails that you would not mind sharing with the world do I will keep all personal identification strictly confidential. Promise! Newest ones first.