Santeria

As I get older, I have come to discover that I appear to attract a strange and sordid dating pool. I'm ok with it, but others seem to find it a bit odd. Here is an excerpt from a work conversation from the other week:

Renu (over the wall to me) "Heeeey, how did the date go last night."

Me "Eh. I don't know if I'm really that into him."

Renu "No, we have had this conversation before. You have to give everyone a chance. None of this weird picky stuff. Two dates minimum."

Me "Well, he had a couple of red flags."

Renu "Like what?"

Me "Well, he discussed how he had gone to Cuba. And I said, I know a couple of people who have been there. They said it was gorgeous, and the resorts were actually nice. He said he didn't see the resorts. He went to Cuba for a specific reason. For a ceremony. So, I asked what ceremony, and then he went into this whole discussion about how he practices Santeria, not the animal sacrifice kind but he does respect those who do animal sacrifice, and that some holy man lives in Cuba and he went to see him."

Renu (silence)

Me "And also, his father lives in Mexico, and he hasn't left the country for seven years due to tax reasons."

Renu "Yeah. Red flag. How come you can't meet a nice baptist boy from Plano?"

Me "Do you see me with a baptist?"

Renu "No, but at least they don't perform animal sacrifice."

Hmmm. Back to the drawing board.