Jaycee Woods

I was surprised by the contradictory mess of a character in one of my story drafts matching so closely TikToks posted by single women then lampooned by red pilled comedic commentators on YT. The rough story draft began:

An online matchmaking service called LoveMatchCafé automatically paired Griselda and Jerry together. They only knew of each other’s names and an address to a designated LoveMatchCafé coffee shop.

When he entered the coffee shop, the hostess warmly greeted him then walked him to the assigned table where Griselda had already sat for their meeting. Her angry-looking leer caught his eye. “Jerry, is it? I’m Griselda. Let’s make this quick. I’m pretty busy.” She proceeded to check her phone for messages.

Jerry said, “Why are you here? What is your purpose for our meeting?”

Griselda said, “It’s a blind date. We’ve simply been paired through LoveMatchCafé because the algorithm has deemed us compatible. Is this your first blind date?” She looked puzzled at his question. “I’ve been on quite a few.” She took a long sip of coffee, not even offering him a cup while it was already available at the table. Thinking in the silence between them, she realized his meaning, so she continued, “I’m here because I’m lonely and single. I want to find love. What about you? What brings you to a blind date?”

Jerry said, “I am looking for a wife, the mother of my children. Why are you lonely and loveless?”

Griselda said, “I was abused in my marriage. My ex-husband was abusive. He was a manipulative psychopath, as are most of the men I meet. They use me. They manipulate my feelings of love. They hurt me. I’m tired of trying to heal from my scars when these men constantly break me.” She spat out venomously. “I should have never married in the first place. I knew he was a psychopath from the start, but I ignored the warning signs, just because I was in love at the time. Love isn’t worth it. Love is irrational. Love is weak.”

Jerry said, “Sounds like you suck at picking men. I’m a good guy so you probably won’t find me attractive. When you say love isn’t worth it, is irrational, and is weak, are you actually confessing about yourself?”

Griselda stared at him with a look of confusion. “Are you serious? Did you just say that to me?” She was offended by his words. “I’m a strong person who knows how to stand on her own two feet. I have never needed any man. Never.” She shook her head. “I have never been the problem. The men I’ve dated were immature, abusive, and controlling.” She took a deep breath. “I’m not one of those girls who just falls over at the sight of ‘the right guy.’ I know my worth. I’m my own person.”

Jerry said, “Yet your self-reported experience is that you tolerate abuse, are easily manipulated, and have baggage from past relationships. Why the gap between your experience and laudatory self-description?”

Griselda said, “You can judge me all you want, but you don’t know what I’ve been through. You weren’t there with me. It’s easy to pass judgement when you’re sitting on the sidelines. But being in the heat of the moment, it’s not so simple to cut somebody out of your life if they’re constantly manipulating your feelings towards them. I have a heart. I’m compassionate and loving. If you expect me to be cold when I meet somebody as abusive and manipulative as my ex-husband, you’re delusional. Love is blinding. Love is irrational.”

Jerry asked, “Love is? Or is it you who are blind and irrational? Where is your accountability for your past?”

Griselda said, “Why are you judging me so harshly? You haven’t even taken the time to get to know me. I am a strong, independent, and powerful woman who doesn’t take crap from men. If you think you have the right to make me feel guilty for my past mistakes, then you’re the problem. You know nothing about me. How can you be so judgmental when you’re making blind assumptions?” She slammed down her coffee mug and stood up from the table. She turned away then began to walk out of the coffee shop without looking back.

Jerry said as she left, “I am only asking questions informed by your statements. Such questions are intended to quickly get to know you.”

Griselda turned around and glared at him. “What are you? My psychiatrist? You don’t know anything about my experience.” She threw her hands up in exasperation. “Love is blind and irrational. There’s no other way to say it.” She proceeded to storm out of the coffee shop, slamming the door behind her while leaving him to foot the bill.

Jerry joked to himself, “Since she said she was busy, I did quickly get to know her. I was very respectful of her time. If she had not been in such a rush on this date maybe I could have been gentler given her fragility.” As he poured himself a cup of coffee, Jerry thought to himself, ‘I dodged a bullet with that one as she definitely isn’t wife material.’ While preparing to pay the bill, Jerry noticed a different woman waiting at a table alone. Assuming that she had been ghosted, he decided to introduce himself to see if she was wife material.