Three Days and Two Exclamation Points

Is the "three day rule" still in effect in the dating world? An expert on these matters, I will not claim to be. I have never been one to follow the rules, which can, and does at times, lead to trouble. Nothing a little bail money and humiliation can't fix! I have very non-conventional views of dating. I think we should just be who we are and hope we find some sap willing to accept us for all of the beautiful disasters that contribute to our makeup. I don't have a checklist of prerequisites. I don't check references. I don't avoid contact in fear of a misunderstanding. But, I'm also very, very single... so what are the rules of the game? Maybe I should look into that.

I finally broke down and called Mack today. He had been on my mind, so why not? I was outside, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the subsequent cool wind blowing through my hair and across my scantily clad body; dreaming of the beach. I thought of him and how much fun I thought we could have on a beach together. I decided to hold out until 4:30 to make the call. Quite a hilarious thing, it was. Would the outcome be different if I called at 4:16? I got his voicemail and left a message. "Hey hotcakes... hope you made it home safely the other night and that you enjoy your trip..." or something to that effect. I instantly regretted not throwing in the "hope to see you again" type jargon. I was then thinking about how torturous dating can be. When you really click with someone and you look forward to seeing them again... it can truly be hell trying to figure out what to do about it in the beginning. Especially when he is leaving town. I don't want to seem desperate. Believe it or not, I am nowhere near desperate. But, I also do not want to appear uninterested. I decided to just let it go and hope he made contact before the torture became unbearable.

WE HAVE CONTACT! I came in from outside and made myself do all of the tedious things required to be an adult in this world. I paid bills, altered and sent resumes, did my homework for Monday, wrote a birthday card to an old friend... Then, I logged on to the dating site. And, VOILA! Correspondence from Mack! (Sigh) I was afraid to click on the message. Smiling like a teenage girl with her first crush. I decided I had to open it. Shit... I'd been waiting for some kind of feedback from him for days. Three days. Was he following the three-day rule... or just as busy as he said he was going to be? (These things are what makes dating maddening!) He said he had a great time, and that I was a very cool chic... followed by TWO exclamation points! He hopes that we can get together again when he gets back... Hell yeah we can, Mr.!