A few nights ago we were out to dinner and we sat at a table across from a young couple who appeared to be on a date. It’s been over a decade since I’ve engaged in a mealtime courtship ritual. What do the kids talk about these days? In between wiping my kids’ faces and getting the Boy to get back into his seat I caught bits of their conversation.

Almost the entire night they talked about World of Warcraft. Specifically, he played the game and she, in what appeared to be a sincere and touching attempt to make the evening a success, asked him questions about the game. The entire concept of the MMORPG appeared to be foreign to her but I think she had latched onto it as the only thing that would get this young man to utter more than two words in a row. It went on for half an hour like this with her asking questions and him mumbling replies in between bites of carne asade. I can’t recall ever seeing a girl try so hard to be interested in something for a boy – but maybe that’s just because now I can see this situation from an objective viewpoint.

I found the entire thing fascinating. And it is possible that she was truly interested in the subject matter although her expression conveyed to me a sense of morbid curiosity more than anything else. It was almost painful to watch. I wanted to shake the boy and tell him, “My god, she’d be all over you if you would just speak! Ask her something about herself, man!”

And she paid for dinner.

Comments

1. Silph on 2005-11-05 15:21:48 wrote: omg, I have friends, and they’ve been, like, ABSORBED by that game. One of my friends even failed two courses because he forgot when his exams were, because he was playing so much! Do they give you the first month free? (as in “first time’s free”?) I wouldn’t be surprised!! heh, I can understand her “morbid curiosity” … I myself have asked questions like “and you’ll spend 5 hours mindlessly hacking away because you’re trying to get a single ITEM??”. I guess if you’re playing for 16 hours a day.. 5 ain’t so much.. . At least this young gentleman has time to actually take her out to dinner! [although technically she’s taking /him/ out, since she paid, but whatever..]

2. don on 2005-11-11 21:15:51 wrote: learn it young…. we men are dumb… :-)

3. J. Star on 2005-11-26 19:40:41 wrote: Someone should warn her to run like hell.

4. Snarf on 2006-02-02 17:54:40 wrote: Well, I for one (a WoW player) am just glad my wife loves the game as much as I dop. But a word of advice…reel her in before you try the WoW chat up. And yes…talk about her…even if she is the one into the game and your not.

5. Ed on 2006-07-28 16:58:53 wrote: HAHA… So this is what I’ve been doing to my poor girlfriend, All this time I thought she was really interested in it. I guess I better talk to her about Star Wars Galaxies instead !