The Old-Fashioned Way

While my mom and I were on our way home from visiting my aunt and uncle in Oshawa the other night, we passed several McDonald's. One had a group of teenagers standing outside of it. I assumed they had gone for a late night snack and the restaurant had closed. The sight brought back memories. Not of hanging out at McDonald's with friends until closing, but of a date I had gone on about two years ago. The guy I was seeing at the time sent me a text telling me he wanted to go out for ice cream. Well, I didn’t know of any places open at 9pm on a Sunday, but my local McDonald's was. So, we sat in the McDonald's, each with a milkshake and just chatted. We chatted about everything and nothing. It was incredibly simple and old-fashioned, but it was one the best dates I’ve ever had. Of course, his old-fashioned ways stopped there, as several weeks later, I found out he was cheating on me with a mutual friend.

A couple enjoys a shared milkshake.

Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I am an old-fashioned gal. While I am guilty for being glued to my Blackberry and the first thing I do every day (when I don’t have to work, which is often as of late) is turn my laptop on, I have a soft spot for the simple things, the old-fashioned things. Watching a butterfly flutter around a field of flowers makes me smile, watching a neighbourhood hawk glide on the breeze fills me with wonder. I love going on Sunday drives and going nowhere in particular. I love going on long walks and surrounding myself with nature. I love sitting in a McDonald's on a date and chatting over a milkshake. Dinner and movie dates are nice, but I prefer a date that involves learning something about the person your with. Dinner provides a means of determining what foods they like, the restaurant choices help you figure out what kind of cuisine they like and just how adventurous they are. Personally, I am willing to try any food at least once. Within reason. I refuse to eat horse meat because I ride them recreationally. I probably couldn’t eat dog, cat or kangaroo meat either. I have tried venison, but I have too much respect for animal the meat comes from as it is an animal I share my city with. However, without trying a new food, you won’t know if you like it or not. And without dinner dates, you won’t know what your date likes without suggesting different restaurants or without he or she suggesting different places. A walk through an urban park can help you determine if they enjoy the scenery the same way you do. Movie dates are nice too; they help determine what genres they prefer. On my first date with the guy I had the milkshake date with, we did dinner and movie. Actually, it was two movies: The Lion King in 3D and 50/50. Watching The Lion King was fun because it was a movie both of us grew up with and new well. We even said some of the dialogue together and caught ourselves laughing at the silliness of grown people watching what is considered a kids’ movie. But, we didn’t care. Why should we have? The Lion King was one of our favourite movies. After dinner at a nearby restaurant, we caught the second movie of the evening, 50/50. 50/50 is a fantastic film about a man with cancer and the struggles he and his friends go through in dealing with it. Having lost my father to cancer, I understood what those characters went through; I watched my father fight it courageously for three years. Tears were shed by both of us over the course of the film and I learned that cancer had touched his life as well. However, there were no words exchanged during the 100 minute The Lion King or the 120 minute 50/50.

This is where my old-fashioned loves come in. My ideal date is sitting and chatting over coffee, dinner or even milkshakes. An evening stroll along Toronto’s waterfront and a good conversation makes an excellent date in my opinion. I like my men old-fashioned with old-fashioned values. I like a man who opens doors, a man who brings the car to the door in the winter, a man who enjoys the simple things in life. (And a man who is smart with is pocketbook would also be a big asset.) I am holding out for that old-fashioned, simple man, though I do wish he would come along soon.