When Jessica Slice started dating a man named David, there was a lot to like about him. They could nerd out about books and board games, he was thoughtful and kind. But Jessica had a problem. The more caring David was, the more she recoiled. "He’s the greatest!" She texted her sister. "But I doubt I’ll go out with him again." This wasn’t the first time she'd felt like fleeing from affection, but something about David made Jessica hesitate. Was she finally ready for a new kind of love?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Anna Martin: From "The New York Times, " I'm Anna Martin.
This is "Modern Love."
Today's story starts on a first date, a really good one.
Jessica Slice was living in the Bay Area in California,
when she met a guy on OkCupid named David.
David suggested they meet in the Berkeley Rose Garden for their first date.
Take notes, people.
That is a good first date spot.
It doesn't always have to be a bar.
When Jessica showed up to the garden,
David had brought a bag of books based on things they'd been messaging about online.
Jessica had brought something,
too, something a little less romantic.
Jessica Slice: I had actually brought a strategy tile game with pictures of different bugs on it.
Anna Martin: Wow. OK.
Jessica Slice: The truth is, I often brought it on dates,
hoping that they would want to play it with me.
That even if the date didn't work out,
I might at least get to play a few rounds of Hive.