Marco....Polo...

I've been watching a lot of How I Met Your Mother Lately. I've been trying to think of why this show resonates so much with me, beyond the great humor (and by obvious, I mean amazing. If you don't watch this show, my esteem for you lowers, that sort of thing). The show is about Ted, a guy who is basically a girl (emotionally) who is on a quest to find "the one". He's just like so many of us in that he has his dream list, he has his group of friends that keep him company and help him reflect on the path of dating (plus remind him of stupid relationship moves, like the butterfly tramp stamp). He keeps dating girls who are nice or interesting or weird, but who make for good episodes and develop his character as we go through the show.

In season one he dates Robin, a gorgeous, witty reporter. Basically the only thing she has going against her is being Canadian and a gun-nut. They date for a year, and have lots of fun, but the chemistry just doesn't seem completely on. They are a great couple on paper, and they are best friends with another couple, and all that stuff, but as wonderful as Robin is, she isn't the girl for him (I have my $ on her being the right girl for sleazy but beloved Barney, but that's another story).

As I watch the show, I see so much of what my friends and I go through with dating. Everyone becomes a story, we embellish the details in our minds and around the dinner table. We have little quirky things we hope against hope for (Ted wants a girl who can quote Ghostbusters). We keep trudging forward, not exactly sure where we're going but bumping against this or that and slowly moving forward.

The way I see it, dating is a lot like a game of Marco Polo, or one of those games we used to play in the pool on a hot summer night. You close your eyes, you stick your arms out in front of you, and you wait for the indications. "You're getting hotter!" "nope, colder" "warmer, warmer, colder!"

And eventually, or so the game goes, you get there.