Coming clean could help neat freak find Ms. Right

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This article was published 22/01/2019 (2477 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: Valentine’s season is coming and for the fourth year in a row, I have no special woman in my life. I have had a few short-term romances, but none seem to last more than three weeks.

I don’t know where I’m going wrong. I’m a great dancer, so the women all want to dance with me in clubs and bars, but when they start getting to know me, the excitement wears off. I’m a bit shy, actually, and not a great conversationalist. I was good at debating in high school and university, so I can come up with some great arguments, especially if we talk about politics, for instance. But most women I meet don’t seem to like a challenging debate.

Also I’ve been called “Mr. Clean” by more than one woman. I should mention my house is spotless and I always insist on having a shower and changing the bed right away after sex. It’s just nicer that way, but women don’t seem to think so. My last date got up and went home in a cab when I asked her to get off the bed so I could change the sheets before we went to sleep.

I thought I was being thoughtful to both of us. She wouldn’t take my calls the next two days. The third day she answered with a sarcastic, “Well, if it isn’t Mr. Clean!” It went downhill from there.

I’d like to try writing an ad for an online dating service but wouldn’t know what to say to get the right kind of person.

— Mr. Clean, Winnipeg

Dear Mr. Clean: Why not give people the truth, starting with a question: “Could you love a neat freak, a guy who can dance you off your feet, a man who enjoys a good debate more than small talk? I’m actually a bit shy for the first few weeks, but if you don’t mind leading the small talk I will be glad to chime in.”

That way, you get it all out there. The right people will be attracted and the wrong people will look for somebody else. Yes, you narrow the field, but then you only need one woman to love — the right one.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I was in the lunchroom at work, and this guy asked if he could sit down with me. I said yes, of course.

As he sat down and started eating his sandwich, he chewed and talked with his mouth open. I could see his sandwich filling flipping from tonsil to tonsil. I didn’t say anything because he is one of my supervisors. Somebody needs to tell him as he must be turning people off at lunch meetings with administration. How do I tell him?

— Ready To Tell, St. James

Dear Ready: Does he have the power to promote you? If so, you’ll have to let somebody further up the ladder tell him, like his own boss. You can’t afford to make him feel embarrassed to be around you. There are much bigger, more important things to correct on this planet. So what if there’s one more open-mouthed muncher? For all you know, his family, friends and former girlfriends have told him endlessly and he doesn’t listen.

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave. Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6.

Miss Lonelyhearts
Advice Columnist

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