Mr. Brightside: You might want to be clearer in your profile.
SoccerStar: That explains all the weird messages I’ve been getting.
Mr. Brightside: Now, now. Don’t kink shame.
SoccerStar: True. To each his own.
SoccerStar: Deleting now.
SoccerStar: I’m going to have a talk with my dad. I should’ve reviewed what he wrote. My bad.
That explained so much about the profile, but opened up more questions.
Mr. Brightside: Your dad is your wingman?
SoccerStar: Trying to be. He set this up for me.
Mr. Brightside: He needs a crash course in gay dating apps. If someone mentions NSA, they’re not referring to the National Security Agency.
SoccerStar: Of course. That means they support local businesses and never shop Amazon.
Mr. Brightside: It means they’re down for dinner because they have a normal supper appetite.
SoccerStar: And just because they say they’re a daddy doesn’t mean they have kids and wear their cell phone clipped to their belt, right?
Mr. Brightside: You’re getting the hang of this online dating thing. And RN means right now, not registered nurse.
SoccerStar: Why can’t they be both?
Mr. Brightside: You never know.
Mr. Brightside: They’d be a real unicorn.
SoccerStar: According to the internet, a unicorn in gay dating language means a single person who joins a couple. I thought it had to do with being horny.
SoccerStar: Because of the horns.
SoccerStar: Horn.
Mr. Brightside: Why can’t they be both?
SoccerStar: Thanks for looking out for me, Famous Amos.
I stared at his message, a warm feeling filling me up. Was I breaking my rule engaging with Hutch? Technically, I was engaging with SoccerStar, who could be catfishing me with Hutch pictures for all I knew. I’d better keep talking to him to be sure.
Mr. Brightside: You’re lucky.
SoccerStar: Why’s that?
Mr. Brightside: Sounds like you haven’t had to use apps. You’ve been able to pick up guys the old-fashioned way.
SoccerStar: Can I be honest?
Mr. Brightside: I’d prefer you lie to me. Jk
Mr. Brightside: That means just kidding.
SoccerStar: Not join kickball?