'The Last Word' on dating

I’m thinking of creating a coffee table book called “The Last Word.”

It would be filled with beautiful stock photos of couples holding hands, a playful snowball fight, canoodling on the beach—you know, couples in love. Over the images, you’ll see calligraphy of the last text you sent someone before they ghosted you.

For those lucky readers not dating in current times, there’s the definition of ghosting according to Wikipedia. “Ghosting, also known as simmering or icing, is a colloquial term which describes the practice of ending all communication and contact with another person without any apparent warning or justification and ignoring any subsequent attempts to communicate.”

Simply put, the texting just stops and you’re left confused as to why.

For example, I was recently texting with a nice man I met on a dating app and he asked me about Matthew Perry’s new book.

“It’s good! Did you know his stepdad is Keith Morrison from Dateline?”

And that was it.

Does this man hate true crime? Stepdads? Is he jealous of Keith’s silver fox status?

Soon after, another man stood me up for a date. He and I texted nonstop for days and we had a two-and-a-half-hour phone call. I was excited.

But then he got a migraine, his car was towed, his uncle died and he lost his job. All of these things could be true, which really would be a rough few days of bad luck, but it also sounds like his dog ate his homework.

I was upset. I had washed and straightened my hair AND put on eyeliner—things I’d really prefer not to do on a Sunday. Instead, I met a friend for dinner and we laughed our heads off.

It’s easy to get discouraged while dating, especially at 40. I’m pretty content with my life, so why am I bringing unnecessary heartache into my world?

Because I believe in love. Yes, it’s cheesy, but I do.

This past weekend, I witnessed a dear friend get married. She and her husband met in 2006, rekindled their romance five years ago, had two precious children and tied the knot. So, despite my single status and run of disappointing guys from dating apps, I’m confident it’ll happen.

If not, at least The Last Word will be a huge hit.

Bridget McGuire is a Chicago-based storyteller, stand-up comedian and a co-producer of “All That Good Stuff,” a traveling comedy show that started on the South Side of Chicago. Follow her on Instagram at @bmcguire82.

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