Fighting the bots

I don't respond to CL postings. That's not what this blog is about. It's about posting an ad and seeing how many of those who are attracted to my words turn out to be freaks. It's an experiment to see if my past experiences hold true in the internet age. Since I'm not responding to the posts, I haven't come across bots.

But let me tell you - those bots MUST be there.

Because it seems like every single man who responds to my ads assumes I'm a bot. They say it's because I don't post a photo in my ad. Well, I don't do that because I'm afraid someone will recognize me and know that I'm posting a personals ad on Craigslist. That's embarrassing!

Anyway, these bots are apparently all over the place. It certainly seems like they could be annoying, but I'm not sure that gives license to be a jerk. Does it?

After posting my second ad (yes, the fortune cookie one), I received the following:

Why don't you just go play, on a six lane highway.
Or the nearest street!

Whoa! Hostile much? I called him on it. And he said it was his way of weeding out the spam. He went on to write

I am just anting to find real people. If you are still looking for a person to go out with, I am glad to chat and send a picture.
I didn't think there was any real people posting ads. I did spend the 4th alone.
Looking for a nice woman to take out and get to know.
I real man in search of a good woman.

And I think I might just be a real woman in search of the meaning of "anting to find real people."

I'm a rule follower, though, so I know that I have to keep responding. And since I'm not actually trying to be mean, I'm going to let that slide. Instead, I ask Mr. Ant how he defines a "real man" and a "good woman." I do this at 5:57pm.

At 6:11, he responds. He tells me that he's a "real man" because he's 44 years old, big-ish (6ft, 200 lbs), lives alone, has never been married nor knocked a woman up. He owns his own contracting business, and he likes what he does. He neither drinks nor smokes. He says all of this in the caveman-type grunt he used above. Then he writes, "A nice woman is honest."

At 6:29, he sends another message asking if I'm still there.

I wasn't. And the next night I send him a message telling him as much. My message is brief; I ask him the "typical questions." He responds 13 minutes later with 3 sentences:

I am a licensed contractor. I have lived in the area for 30 years.
I like just about anything outdoors.
Nice dinners, trips to the beach, hikes and biking.

I'm busy - this dating on CL thing takes a lot of time. I can't respond to his message immediately, but I'm about to get to it. Really! But 20 minutes was apparently too long for him because that was all the time he gave me before he sending this message:

Well it was nice talking to you again. Wish you luck.
Just when you think you are talking to a person,
You end up talking to your self.
Last night I deleted Craigs list personals from my memory.
Just didn't get any real people looking for a real man.
I am a nice guy who makes good money.
I work hard and I don't drink.
Non smoker and no drugs. Honest and I help others all the time.
In shape and take care of myself.
I am going to give up on a good woman.
All the posters just play games and don't know a good thing when its in front of their face.
Hope you find what you are looking for.
This honest man is over and out.

C ya!!!

Dang! I'll admit that I wasn't feeling this guy. I'll even admit that I had already heard from a guy I was feeling (yep - the one who took me away from the blog for awhile). But 20 minutes? Come on! This guy didn't even give me a chance to respond. And is it just me, or did he shoot me down in a pretty hostile way? I'm pretty sure I know why he's not meeting any "good women."