Christian festival season has begun. (Actually, I believe it began around Easter...) Last week I subjected myself to a week's camping in Somerset with a few church friends in the name of 'holiday' and spiritual enlightenment.
Large gatherings of Christians are meant to be ideal hunting grounds for potential partners. After all, you're spared the need to filter out the non-Christians and you have ample time to get to know people. I guess this was the reason behind turning one of the socials into a Christian Singles Mingle. [Not the title it was given, incidentally.]
I've not been to one before - though I tried to, the last time one was on at church, but my date stood me up. The idea is that you take a friend of the opposite sex (who you don't want to date, but think others might) along with you and spend the evening mingling with other like-minded single Christians. I can see this working fairly well in my usual London context. Recreated in a marquee in Shepton Mallet seemed to work less well...
Early on in the week, I'd ascertained that I wouldn't be working that particular night [my free ticket to the event was courtesy of being a barista for 7 days) and so had given some thought as to who I'd take with me. Few people came to mind but I thought that perhaps some of my new-found coffee friends might be up for it. Turning up for my early evening shift I discovered that indeed, a few were interested - but mostly at the instigation of my older, female tent-mate.
The level of interest appeared to be veiling a slight whiff of desperation. When the social kicked off a couple of hours later, the atmosphere in the bar was one of heightened anticipation. By this point I'd decided I was better off out of it (choosing instead to spend my night off drinking gin) and sat watching the minglers get down to it.
Before they were directed to an area of the tent far away from the bar, one man approached me to ask if I was participating. I replied in the negative and when asked why simply said that it was my first night off all week and I was rather tired. It struck me that he was asking for one of two possible reasons:
(i) He needed a woman with him in order to gain entry.
(ii) He thought I looked interesting and therefore hoped that he'd have opportunity for a conversation later.
Either way, I wasn't particularly interested. The thought then struck me that looking around, it was effectively the people of Christian Connection in the flesh.
By the end of the evening I had decided that there was no way I was that desperate, and helpfully, new-found friends informed me that I didn't need to be that desperate. Even turning 29 at the end of the week didn't plunge me into a black-hole of singleness depression. Playing this game light-heartedly is definitely the way forward.
Next on the agenda? Speed dating at summer's second Christian festival opportunity. Fun times.
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