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A certain man claims that he used to eye each of his dates in the bathroom and rate her based on how her rear end and thighs fit on the toilet. If it looked like she was sitting on a soup bowl, she got an A+. If her behind was so small that she needed to hold on to the sides to stop from falling in, then she got an F.
Who is this superficial guy? He’s lecturer and former college professor Dewan W. Gibson, who recounts his life as a single guy in The Imperfect Enjoyment: A Bachelor’s Memoir.
After graduating from college, Gibson wanted to escape Ohio’s voluntary segregation. He craved adventure, so he headed to San Diego for grad school, hoping to experience the California bachelor fantasy. To help pay for his education, he taught a freshman course, which he thought would make it easier for him to meet women. This “player” wound up falling in love with a woman from Bahrain, but her family disapproved of the relationship—and him in particular—and formed numerous obstacles to keep them apart.
After grad school, he was broke, so, in addition to teaching, he worked in a health center and got involved with a co-worker, which proved to be quite hazardous. Meanwhile, he continued to go to bars to meet women, whether in San Diego or Los Angeles or on a weekend escape to Las Vegas.
In his book, Gibson shares stories from his life as a single man trying to be a player—but not really succeeding at it. He makes fun of himself and his sexual inadequacies with a deadpan sense of humor that makes this book so enjoyable to read. He even divulges crude aspects of his dates in vivid detail, such as the woman who clogged up his toilet.
So is he really superficial? Not really. He was just like many of us in our 20s: just trying to make sense of this whole dating scene but not really knowing what we wanted. Even as a woman, I could relate. In fact, his single life wasn’t much different from the rest of ours. It’s just that he can relate it in an extraordinary way—taking everyday situations and making them comical.
Even though I’d probably flunk his toilet test, I’ll still give Gibson an A+ for relating his single life in such a hilarious manner that I couldn’t put the book down. Even if you don’t remember—or are still trying to forget—that portion of your life, you may find The Imperfect Enjoyment: A Bachelor’s Memoir a fun diversion from your current one.
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