(Brief) Storytime:
I had the best cable guy today. THE BEST.
He's 23. He's been with his GF for 5 years. He met her on line in his first semester of college. He was a full time student with no job living in BK; she was also a student with strict parents living deep in Long Island.
Once they met in person, he was like, "she's it!" I'm done.
Her parents weren't cool with her going to the city to hang out with a Brooklyn guy she met on the Internet, so they were like, "if he wants to see you, he will come here because that is where you will be."
She tells him this. He's like, "I don't even know where [her neighborhood] is." So she's like, "I guess this is a no go, huh?"
He's like, "You sound crazy. Let me figure it out."
So he figured it out.
He would take the J train from BK to Penn Station, then take the LIRR out to Long Island to see her. [For non- New Yorkers, it's about a two hour commute, each way.]
Me: I wouldn't even date guys in Harlem because it's so far. You were going out to Long Island, what every weekend?
Him: Uh.. every day after class.
Me: What?
Him: Yeah, I had to get a job in the morning so I could pay for the train fare back and forth. It was $16 RT. My parents would give me $20 sometimes, so I'd spend that on the train, then save the $4 for food for the day.
Me: I'm sorry. You got a job... to pay for transportation... to get to Long Island... to see your GF... EVERY DAY?
Him: Ok. Not everyday, every week. But like 5-6 times a week. I'd hang out with my friends sometimes. Or my parents.
Me: Seriously?
Him: Yeah. I love her. I'm gonna propose in two years.
Me: You know what, this is funny, I often tell women that "men who are interested act interested". Like they put in the effort to see the woman, at the very least.
Him: Yeah. She's worth the effort. I love her. She has a friend, and the friend's boyfriend lives nearby. He sees her maybe twice a week, some week's not at all. I tried to tell her friend that he's not into her or he's seeing other people, but she doesn't listen.
Me: Curious, is this your first girlfriend?
(I asked because guys tend to be like this before they've had their heartbroken or been betrayed.)
Him: No, I dated a girl for two years right before her. She cheated on me and broke my heart. I stopped working out and gained weight.
(Dude is husky, not fat.)
Me: Interesting. (I'm kinda in awe of his effort.)
Him: Not really. When you know, you know. If I had any doubts, I wouldn't work this hard.