July 7, 2006 09:30 AM
Deciphering the Code
There comes a times in every woman's life when she has to develop a code that helps her survive--or escape--a less-than-pleasant situation. I'm talking about developing a plan (with a friend) that you will put into action when you find yourself on a really bad date. The plan usually involves the accomplice (who is not on the date but is available to assist you) calling you (or in extreme cases, showing up) while you're on the bad date, usually with an emergency that requires you leave at that very moment because someone, somewhere, needs you.
Of course, a lot can go wrong when an emergency "bad date code" is put into effect. Now I am speaking hypothetically here, because this absolutely did not happen to anyone I know this weekend. No, don't even think it happened to a teenage girl who shall remain nameless, and don't assume that this girl is my daughter. Because I know LOTS of teenage girls. But this involves NONE of them, just in case you were wondering. Maybe you weren't wondering. I'm just saying.
Like I said before, a lot of things can just go WRONG, and make a bad date even worse. So I'd like to offer the following tips to those wishing to create a code to use with their friends or family members in these types of situations:
1. If you send out, shall we call it, a signal of date distress, you should probably, I don't know, maybe...MAKE SURE YOU HAVE CELL PHONE COVERAGE WHEN YOU WANT TO BE SAVED FROM THE STUPIDITY OF YOUR OWN DECISIONS.
2. When you send a signal of distress, please be specific. If you send a text, which is rapidly becoming the preferred method of seeking help on a bad date, make sure you specify whether you're just bored or being jumped by a hideous monster. Or someone--I'm not saying names here, it's still purely hypothetical--might just think you are being jumped and not just annoyed, and your accomplice might FREAK OUT AND WORRY FOR LIKE AN HOUR before being able to reach you.
3. Always have a back-up accomplice. Because sometimes your mom--or your friend, not that it HAS to be your mom--will be in the shower or will put her phone down somewhere and forget that it's on vibrate not on ring and not get the message.
I offer these tips just in case, because, really, this situation has never ever happened to me or anyone I know. I'm just trying to help you, you know, just in case.
Comments
I find that googling the date is a must. You can cut out at least 50% of the wackos that way.
Posted by: Jane Lake at July 7, 2006 02:42 PM
But this absolutely definitely didn't happen to someone you know? Okay. Sure. I understand...
Now you've got me racking my brain, trying to remember What On Earth we did before cell phones existed... I remember having an accomplice to bail me out, just can't for the life of me remember how it was supposed to work...
Posted by: Jen at July 28, 2006 06:36 PM
