105. Looking for Mr. Right

Because Debra had just bought a new laptop computer, she decided that she must start cutting back on some expenses if she could. Her long distance phone bill was one expense that sprang to mind. She was paying almost $30 a month to Horizon, her local phone company. That $30 covered her residence line and various taxes, surcharges, funds, fees, and services. It also covered her local phone calls—those to locations within 12 miles.

But she was paying another $40-$80 a month talking to her best friend and to her boyfriend, both of whom lived more than 12 miles away from her. But how could she not talk to her best friend and to her boyfriend? Could she tell them she was having budget problems, so could they please call her in the future? Could she just call them less often—a lot less often?

Fortunately for Debra, she found the solution a month later, when she tearfully discovered that her boyfriend and her best friend were seeing each other behind Debra’s back. Debra saw them kissing in his car outside of a restaurant that all three of them liked to visit occasionally. Debra immediately called Horizon to cancel her long distance service. The female customer service representative asked if she was sure she wanted to do this. Debra said, “Yes, I’m sure. All men are jerks.” The representative agreed enthusiastically with her.

Debra was only on her new computer for a week before she discovered Computer Dating, a service that promised: “Ladies, you will get to choose from hundreds of men in your own ZIP code area. New selections every day. Only $29.95 a month!” As much as she hated her boyfriend, Debra knew that not all men were alike. Maybe Mr. Right was waiting for her on her computer screen. Maybe he was living only a block away. And she did happen to have $30 available.