According to TikToker MacLaine (@maclaine_17), dating in Indiana is extremely difficult, which is why she is moving out of the state to somewhere with a larger dating pool.
She shared one particular date that perfectly sums up what her dating experience has been like so far.
They went out to eat at a casual restaurant/bar. After dinner, he wanted to go for a walk because the weather was nice. There was a trail she liked nearby, so she agreed to the idea.
He had ordered some garlic knots to go so that he could walk on the trail and eat them at the same time. She thought they were about to go on a cute romantic walk and hold each other’s hands while enjoying the fresh air and change of scenery.
In her mind, it was the kind of moment that could turn the date around and possibly allow them to connect more naturally.
But that’s not exactly how it played out. He just kept munching on garlic knots the whole time. It was the kind of chewing that you can’t tune out, no matter how hard you try. She will remember the chewing sounds for the rest of her life.
It wasn’t even that she had anything against garlic knots. But there was just something about eating them in the middle of a stroll that sort of threw off the vibe. She was basically a background character to someone’s snack break.
“I was like, if you really want garlic knots, I respect that, but I like garlic knots, too, but I don’t think I could order them to snack on while you’re walking after a date,” said MacLaine.
“Like, [there are] so many levels of that that are weird.”
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The date also did not get off to a great start because she ended up crying hysterically right before due to intense anxiety. She also feels like her personality doesn’t really translate well over a dating app. She texted him to cancel because she wasn’t feeling well, but ultimately decided to go on the date anyway.
“He was so nice, but the whole date, my eyes were just puffy from crying, and he was so polite and respectful, but my eyes were swollen,” recalled MacLaine.
“And I had no personality because my anxiety was so high. That poor man. I haven’t heard from him since, which I don’t blame him.”
Looking back, she can see how the combination of her anxiety, the awkward pacing of the date, and the garlic knots contributed to something that didn’t click.
Overall, not every bad date is dramatic or explosive. Sometimes, it’s just a series of small, strange, and slightly uncomfortable moments that create a painfully awkward outing.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
