The Search Continues

I found myself shidduchless last Monday, so had to continue the search. Actualy, before I went out with the last girl, L., American Steven's wife here in Pisgat Ze'ev had mentioned that her sister is good at setting people up and has many connections, so I drove out to Har Nof to meet her and get my name in her phone directory. She had someone in mind, C, but meanwhile, a friend in Be'er Sheva called and said she had someone else who would make a good match (that would be "L.") After L decided she didn't want to go out with me any more, a week had passed and I had forgotten about my friend out in Har Nof. Meanwhile, I received a list of four potential matches from sawyouatsinai.com, and they all looked good, so I approved them, but received no response from the girls.

A Nefesh B'Nefesh singles event where we were to go out and pick onions was scheduled for last Friday, so I decided to chill out for a few days. Of course, I've never actually gotten a real date out of all of these singles things, but they're usually fun anyway and I get to see some of my old friends, as well as girls I've already dated who happen to be at the same event.

Well, as usual, nothing came of the event, but on the way back I received a phonecall out of the blue from a shadchanit I had never spoken to but had heard of me, and she described a gal, "R," who sounded pretty nice, so I said okay. She then hung up to call the girl and see if it would be all right with her. Five minutes later, the phone rang again, and it was the lady I stayed with at Kfar Haroeh, who informed me that one of the families in the village had an eligible daughter, "N", who might be suitable. I informed her that I had already consented to date someone else, and I don't do the "two at once" thing, and so I had to decline. A few hours later, the first shadchanit called me back and informed me that "R" had declined, as once she heard that I learn at Machon Meir, she immediately had the impression of me as a wild-eyed settler nut, which I'm not, although I am a wild-eyed settler nut sympathizer. I then called back my hostess from Kfar Haroeh and got the phone number of "N," whom I promptly called. Meanwhile, I arrived in Tel Aviv for a shabbat with Israeli Moshe, and I called N from his house but wasn't able to get a hold of her. I spoke with her father, who delivered the message that I had called. After shabbat I called again, and managed to speak with "N" and arrange a date in Kiryat Ono (near Tel Aviv) the next morning. Later that night, I drove home and checked sawyouatsinai.com, and it turned out one of the girls I had approved, D, had actually said "yes" and given me her phone number.

Oops. I had already arranged to go out with "N," so I couldn't call D to arrange, but I couldn't exactly cancel either. Well, honesty is the best policy, so I decided to let her know what had happened. But I couldn't get through. Meanwhile my friend in Be'er Sheva called with another offer, R, but I had to delay for a couple of days to see about the ones I was working on now.

Next morning, I shared some lemonade with N. It was a good time, and she's a great girl, but we both left with the feeling that this was definitely not a match. So, later in the afternoon, I called D, but she still wasn't picking up the phone. I tried again Monday, still no answer. This morning, Tuesday, I gave it one last shot, but she still wasn't there. Welp, sorry D, but daylight's burning!

The next step was to call my friend in Be'er Sheva and see if I could get together with R. She sounded like a nice girl, and I got a green light to give her a call, but only later in the afternoon. So I waited patiently. Then, when I was about to call, my Be'er Sheva friend called me again and informed me that R had gotten back together with her old shidduch, so now I've got nothing.

Later in the afternoon, I went for my hour-long jog. Frustrated. Girls, girls everywhere but not a date in site. But then it struck me, I had never called Steven's sister-in-law in Har Nof back! D'oh! So I rang her up.

"Hi, this is Ephraim."
"Hi Ephraim, so I'm assuming it didn't work out with L. Do you want me to see if C is available?"
"Would you be so kind?"
"No problem."

The strange thing is, when I write it down, it sounds like a whirlwind, but it all seems to be moving so slowly from my perspective.