“To be married or not to be married?”

That is the question.

To this day I wonder why married people get more play than single people. I have never been married. Well, except for a couple of times a few years ago. Here’s the story:

I am a finance manager for car dealerships and before that I was a struggling car salesman. A friend of mine (a fellow car salesman) had an idea. He told me that a lot of people think of car salesmen as crooks that have their own agenda. They never think of the customer and try to take the customer for everything they have. There are trust issues when it comes to car salesmen and the customer. He told me the customer is more likely to trust me if I was married than if I was single.

He explained:

Customers feel more at ease with a married person because when they see a ring on your finger they know that this person is a family man who has values. Whereas a single man doesn’t have those same morals or values a married man would.

Hmm…

I went to the jewelry store. I spent about a hundred bucks on a simple gold band. I put it on the next day. I had the wedding band on for a couple of weeks. The ring really didn’t make my sales get any better but… boy oh boy, did my personal life improved a couple of notches.

Over the next few days I could tell that there was some sort of bulls-eye on me; in the grocery store, at the laundry mat, in the parking lot. It seemed as if women would give me a stare that was saying. “Talk to me…please.”

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not a bad looking guy and it helps that I stand almost 6’4″. But these stares were unusual. I am not the type to approach because of my shyness, but at the grocery store I decided “What the hell?”

Her eyes were fixated on me and… my hand??

*record scratching*

WTF?!

She goes on to tell me that she had been following me around the store and found me attractive. She also noticed that I seemed to be shopping for a bachelor rather than someone with a family (the things women notice). Again she was staring at my hand. I tell her that I was shopping for myself and “my wife” was out of town for a couple of weeks. She has this mock surprised look on her face.

“Wow…it must be kinda lonely for you, with your wife gone and all.” she said

“Yeah, it is.” I said with a sheepish look on my face.

“Well…here’s my number. If you get too lonely tonight give me a call. I’ll be home all night.”

She walks away. I need not tell you what happened. Let’s just say she was more than willing.

Before you say, okay, that was just one woman, for the next two weeks I had similar conversations with several women.

Sitting at the bar on a Friday night, I had a long week at work. I just wanted to unwind with my Heinekens and shots of Hennessey. After downing a couple shots, I was on my second beer when a woman sat next to me at the bar. I looked at her and she smiled as she ordered a Long Island Iced tea. I acknowledged her with a smile and she smiled back. I continued with my drink, concentrating on how my work week was going to start and not to have it begin how it ended – totally oblivious of my surroundings. I downed my beer with my left hand and after a few minutes the woman tapped me on my elbow.

“It looks like you had a long week,” she said.

“Yeah, it wasn’t pretty,” I replied.

“I can tell because you were downing that beer like you haven’t drank anything for a couple of months.”

I laughed and the conversation switched to our careers. I found out she was a lawyer and she practiced at a firm down the street.

“So, you come here often?”

As the conversation turned personal. I couldn’t think of anything else to say but as the alcohol began to take over it didn’t matter.

“No, I rarely ever get out because of my workload. It’s that and my home life.” She showed me a diamond ring on her ring finger. She glanced at my left hand. “I see you have the same issue as I do.”

I smiled. “I guess we do.”

The conversation continued about her husband and how he was out of town all of the time because of her job. She wished he was around more then she wouldn’t work so much. She nodded to the bartender.

“Get him a Heineken and I want another Long Island. Put it on my tab.”

“I got it.” I said, not used to a kind gesture, as I searched for my wallet.

“He’s already got my card, Sweety.” she smiled.

I sighed and the conversation continued. After two more drinks she looked at her watch.

“Your number?” she asked as she pulled out her cell phone.

I rattled off my digits and she put her phone in her purse. She gave the bartender a head nod and he brought her the receipt and her credit card.

“I am going to give you a call in a half an hour and tell you where to meet me from here.”

I gave her a nod and I walked her out to her car.

Forty-five minutes later she called.

“Hey, Sweety.” she said. “Meet me at the Marriott down the street. My room number is 224.”

(click)

I am not advocating to buying a ring so you can do some dirty business, why do you think married people get more play than single people?

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