Virtual Romance

"... and that's why you'll never have a girlfriend," my roommate finished as he headed out the door. "Remember what I said, OK, Flannery?"

I nodded tiredly, the way I always did. "Yup, no problem. Thank you for your insight."

Cal smiled, the sarcasm perhaps lost on him. I wouldn't have been surprised. Not a lot of watts, but plenty of volts, as they said. Figures I'd end up stick with a guy like him at college. Kismet, karma... idiot justice, whatever you called it. Cal was too dim to feel annoyed by it, which made it even worse. Cal really thought he was nice, and most of the time he really WAS nice. He was just also infuriatingly annoying. The fact he was handsome, popular, and well-laid didn't do anything to make me feel better

I waved as Cal headed out, probably to meet another anonymous girl for more anonymous sex. I wondered if Cal even attended classes anymore... shrugging, I turned back to my laptop, the only real piece of hardware in the room that was mine. The stereo, the tv, the couch, the beer fridge... all the rest was Cal's. Figured he was wealthy, too, I thought. It's not like his life was hard enough yet. He wasn't even in the dorm long enough to use it very often. Still, if I ever had opportunity to bring a girl back here, it would be pretty sweet, with the couch and the TV and the stereo...

Yeah, right.

I tried checking my webmail but, as usual, the internet connection through the college was being bitchy, and all I could get was the local intranet. I sighed again, and as bored as I was, I figured I'd surf it for a while. It had several sections for students, but most were irritating, or flodded with advertisments, or just downright stupid. Did anyone think the Square-Dancing club needed it's own forum?

I checked the personal I had placed on the local Personals page... anonymously, of course. Still no replies. Oh well, I thought... it's only been three months, right? I have to give these things time. Despondent (my usual state of being these days), I perused the other ones. As usual, most of them were "Guys looking for fuckbuddy", or "Hot babe looking for fuckbuddy". Not his type, either way. There were a few other ones that seemed more thought out, but one in particular caught his eye, a phrase he'd never expected to see at his college...

"More than a girl, I'm a Doug Winger fan!"

No way that could be the Doug Winger he was thinking of.... no way.

No way.

The anonymous username that had been used to post the personal was "WingerGirl". I clicked the link, and kept reading.

<blockquote>"I've been here for four months, and so far I've been too afraid to get close to anyone. I'm not your average girl, and in the past it hasn't helped me with my love life. I'm single, and I'm lonely, but I'm not going to tell you who I am just yet. I am looking for someone nice to chat with on here, to get to know first, and then maybe... we'll see where it goes. PASSWORD: Send me your favorite DW pictur