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I don't ever remember being rejected during or after a blind date. I'm sure it happened, but maybe my guy brain and ego just refuse to accept it. I do remember having many one-only blind dates, where as the typical guy, I never called for another date. I just hope I did the break with consideration. Regardless if you're the man or woman in the situation, the word for ending a goodbye-forever blind date is to show consideration. The need to make a polite let-down applies to both people involved.

For instance, if you're a woman who was furnished with a date by a prom committee, church, friend or family member, you are entitled to having that date behave with you in what is generally considered an acceptable manner. If he shows up inappropriately dressed, i.e. those ever-popular, butt-baring, draggy pants and purple hair, and is also generally offensive to you, that's a good reason to end the date right then. You calmly tell the man your feelings, say goodbye and either go home or join the ladies' stag line on the other side of the dance floor.

Additionally, even if the man looks human, but behaves badly during the date, just cut your losses and exit as soon as you can. Depending on your reaction to shock, bad behavior could be described as poor hygiene, endless cursing, heavy drinking, hitting on other gals and speaking abusively to you. You could also be offended if this stranger presumes to start hitting on you within just an hour or two of your meeting for the first time. Whatever the bad impression he's making, you make for the exit.

If you're the man who was presented with a blind date, most of the same conditions apply. There are exceptions, such as if you picked your date up at her home, it is your responsibility to bring her back after the date, no matter how badly the evening went. If there are extenuating circumstances, such as your drinking too much, you still must be considerate enough to make sure someone, preferably a non-drinker or taxi cab, sees her safely to her door.

Of course, there are many ways to end a blind date early, but consideration should still be your guide. When you first meet, there may be a shock of disappointment because of appearance that turns you off. Unless it is so bad it actually affects your digestion, just grit your teeth and go through the evening as if you're enjoying it. There's the old trick of ending a date early by setting yourself up with a friend to call you. Then, if it is early exit time, you say you must leave immediately because your grandma died suddenly, your cat had kittens or some other lame excuse that sounds sincere. If you're the man giving the excuse to take off, don't ever leave the blind date stranded somewhere. In most cases you can just give her the fare and call a taxi.

I could say you should never end a bad blind date with a promise of getting together again. That can bring false hopes and the waiting-by-the phone blues. Just make the usual polite good night speech, add maybe a peck on the cheek and depart. Then, you can relax and sigh with relief that the entire evening was wasted, and you know you'll never see that loser again. Hey, don't be so sure. That happened to me on my first date with a young lady who lived two floors below in my apartment building. We've been married for more than 41 years.

Learn more about this author, Ted Sherman.
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