The Pendulum

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Off the Clock

I hate women who go out on dates with guys and immediately start analyzing whether they have long-term potential, would be good husbands, and have a high enough sperm count to push out X number of kids in X number of years. I hate these women, and yet I must admit that I have been one of these women for the past decade.

I can honestly say that I haven't been on a date in the past ten years without summing up the poor sap sitting across from me within 2.5 minutes and deciphering how he would rate on all of the above. And I must admit that my analytical skills in this area were dead on. I often talked myself out of the information right in front of me in order to 'be open-minded', but the cards were on the table.

Now I'm off the clock. I have a daughter and I don't need a man. At least not in traditional terms.

But can I really pull it off? Can I date someone with whom there is little or no chance of a future, but with whom I might have some fun? (And I don't mean a 4-week fling before the ex-con has to return to work camp.)

Such a relationship might actually be ideal for me at this stage of the game. I have a new baby, a full-time job, a home I love --- I'm not sure that I want, need or have time to pull off a traditional relationship. Maybe a friend with benefits is the new black.