I once went out on a date with a friend’s co-worker. It was a little awkward to begin with, because we’d only met once and chatted very briefly. But as we sat across the table from one another, sipping our smoothies, things took a turn for the more uncomfortable. As he peppered me with questions, I suddenly felt like I was at a job interview:
- Do you like your job?
- Will you quit your job when you have children?
- How many children would like to have?
Yikes. The questions came in rapid succession, and I found myself trying to sidestep talking about my most personal hopes and dreams with a guy who was essentially a stranger. Now, I know some of you are probably thinking, You have to give the guy props for being direct. Yes, I definitely picked up on the fact that he was looking for a wife. And I appreciated his intentionality. It just wasn’t first-date appropriate. And it led to me to turn down a second date.
Striking a balance between engaging in mindless small talk,…
