Out at Point Pelee, this date took flight
With some perseverance, Scott and Ainsleigh had their heads in the sky
Scott is a 38-year-old computer technician who lives in Liberty Village. He says that his style ranges from “casual and laid-back” to “unkempt and scruffy.” He says he is “cerebral” and “a loner,” and is “a nerd with few interests outside of computers.” Those “few interests” include hiking along the Bruce Trail, cycling, reading and watching old movies. He says “My work can be time-consuming and erratic, and partly as a result of that, my dating life has been spectacularly unsuccessful. I’ve had a few relationships, but I’ve mostly been single.” Scott is looking for “compatibility and harmony” in a relationship.
I met Ainsleigh on a dating site. She was very pretty. We started a series of email and phone conversations. She was a PhD student, intelligent, funny, curious about my work and boundlessly enthusiastic about her area of study in the sciences. I thought that her ideas and personality meshed well with mine.
After several weeks, I asked to meet her. She kept deflecting. When I finally asked her if she was married, a lesbian, or just didn’t like computer techs, she laughed and said “None of the above,” and told me that she had a physical disability. She was concerned that I would ghost her because of that. I told her that I definitely still wanted to meet and promised not to ghost her. I suggested that she choose a suitable date for us.
Ainsleigh decided to take me birdwatching. I think she figured that if the date turned out to be disastrous, she could leave me with the loons! She picked me up, early, in a converted camper van that she used as part of her research. In person, she was very pretty, and clearly very smart. We drove to Point Pelee National Park, several hours outside of Toronto, but the drive went quickly as we talked and got to know each other.
The conversation centred around birds and their habits. I learned that contrary to popular belief, even so-called monogamous birds are promiscuous. I also learned that Point Pelee is at the crossroads of two major bird-migration flyways. Birdwatchers from all over Canada and the U.S. visit the park. In the spring, birds make their first landfall there after crossing the lake. That sure beat discussing my work: gigabytes, servers, and modems.
We sat on a blanket, on a rocky ledge near the water. Ainsleigh passed me binoculars she had packed and pointed to a tree where there was a small bird with a black head and white cheeks. It was a blackpoll warbler, she said, and it had flown a long way to nest here. The air was filled with the sound of birds. A loud hammering noise turned out to be a woodpecker. She said its brain and skull had adapted to withstand the constant hammering.
Ainsleigh opened my eyes to a totally different world from the one I inhabited. I pointed to one bird I recognized, a black crow that was making its characteristic “kraw kraw” sound. Jennifer told me that crows are one of the smartest birds in the avian world. She knew a lot about every bird we saw. I was very impressed with her experience and intelligence. I described my work to her, but only to make sure she was getting enough from her internet service provider.
Ainsleigh had packed a big picnic to eat after birdwatching, before we headed back to Toronto. She even brought a candle and matches. The food was delicious. She listened to what I was saying and she asked questions about my life. We clicked. We clearly felt comfortable with each other.
We drove home after. It was a long, full day together, and I was charmed. Ainsleigh dropped me off at home late that night. We kissed goodbye.
Soon after, Ainsleigh got a position in the U.S., and moved there. It was a triumph for her, but upsetting in the context of our burgeoning relationship. We are in touch almost daily, but COVID-19 has become a real hurdle. I can fly there, but on returning, must be in isolation for 14 days. I don’t know what will happen next. Even if the relationship fails, we’ll always have Point Pelee. Scott rates his date (out of 10): 10