“Mystery Date, Are You Ready For Your Mystery Date?”

Or — maybe — not?

Does anyone remember playing this board game when younger? I recall doing this with my female playmates and screeching at the “Dud” (represented by an appearance, according to Wikipedia, of “slovenly attire, tousled hair and a beard shadow”)…well, of course none of us wanted this “Dud” although I can’t help but now think that the description rather sounds like the grunge look of the 90’s (oh my, how times DO change!). Of course, we all wanted the “Dream” date which was a formally attired gentleman who was holding a rose, I believe?

Anyway, part of the silly fun of it all was the premise “Who is behind the door?” and not really knowing until it was your turn to open it. This could no doubt be nerve wracking because even though “Beach” guy was cute, and “Skiing” guy looked nice, we all wanted the “Dream” guy because well — isn’t that what ALL the girls want?! I mean, isn’t it a foregone conclusion really?!

But, as young girls mature into young women, we begin to (hopefully) recognize that not all well dressed men are, in fact, dreamy, and also, that not all slovenly attired men are, in fact, duds…there’s a middle ground, always, and in this middle ground exists what can often be a murky grey area of sorts.

We begin to realize that merit and accomplishment do not, in fact, equal moral character, and that in actuality, they are very different things. In “The Philadelphia Story” there’s a wonderful quote from C.K. Dexter Haven…