Dating 70's Style

Do you remember dating has a teenager back? It was never easy! We didn’t have social media to help us making it hard graft unlike today more about that later. Back then, you were lucky if you had a phone in your house and that could be a ruddy party line meaning you shared the line with some of your neighbours. Our phone was a big red box on James Street not the best of places to be romantic with people standing outside taping their watch.

I remember one girl I arranged to phone one evening at 6:30pm. When I got to the phone box, there was a queue of people and we never met again maybe she it still standing there waiting for me call. It was  done in the main via little love notes being passed around among friends until it reached your target or via a rumour spread my you that you liked someone in hope it would be heard my the right ear. Remember writing the little love note ‘Do you like/love me’ and you would draw two boxes with Yes or No above them hoping for a tick in Yes. Perhaps adding a ‘Maybe’ box just to cover all bases.

There was always a need for a meeting place was essential and preferably on neutral ground away from your mates. Usually the boy would turn up alone but the girl may have a friend on two in the background.

Two places I remember was outside Astey’s Café at the Cardiff Bus Station and the steps of the National Museum. The latter would be the best place to meet, as it was a free date, warm, and plenty to see. It was a popular location on a Saturday or Sunday for a dating meeting place, you could have a wander around and it was easy to miss the cafeteria making it a cheap date. If it was a blind date or you wasn’t sure, you could hide in the park across the road to check her out and if you couldn’t see her, she was probably doing the same.

Astey’s had a cost attached so it was better to make a move soon because if you hung around too long someone might think it was a eating date. Forking out on a meal would be a bit much for a first date. Unless of course she was paying, otherwise, she would be lucky if she got a packet of crisps and a bottle of pop in the cinema.

Today your first date could well be on one of the many social media platforms or via the Tinder dating app, there are many similar sites all over the internet. There is Facebook and Twitter not an official dating site but can help the lonely, single and the happily married. I am not sure how Tinder works being happily married   other than it uses GPS, then uses your Facebook information to create your profile (don't worry, nothing about Tinder will ever be posted to Facebook). Tinder then finds you potential matches near you (you can narrow it down by searching by age and distance) and if they take your fancy, you swipe right to 'like' them. If not, go left to 'pass'. If they’ve also 'liked' you – bingo, your in there mate and you can start messaging. So easy.