Conversations With a Single Mom, 33, Craiglist Personal Ad

by D Roy
(MA, USA)

Hello. How are you doing? i'm ERIN by name,33, single mother of 1..i like what i see in your profile and i will like to get to know you more and what you are looking for on here..please i'm not here for a sex talk or cyber sex but i want to meet a mature man who truly knows what he wants in relationship and also in life.., i want to meet a kind of man who we can both work hand in hand to have a good home and to also lay down good foundation for our children to follow.. i kind of man who i will be so boast to walk around with and to show people around that he's my man..such i seek.i want to start life all over again...hope to read from you..

---ME---

Hi Erin,

I am doing well. How are you?

Thanks for sharing that. That all sounds fine. Could of you answer the questions in the personal ad?

---HER---

well i'm good..i'm new here and i'm still very much conscious here.. i don't just want anyone to waste my time.. you can ask the questions again here so i can know you are real

---ME---

Same reason why I asked! To see if you were real.
1. What you do for fun
2. The craziest (or adventurous) thing you did last week
3. What makes you a great wife and mother

---ME---

HERE I SEND A PICTURE AND ACCIDENTALLY A RENTAL AGREEMENT FOR A LAPTOP

---HER---

what did you send to me? it does not make sense

---ME---

Erin,

I sent you the questions you asked for in one email and a picture of myself as a show of good faith.

There was also a rental agreement from Rent-A-Center I sent by mistake, haha.

---HER---

do you want us to keep our conversation alive?

---ME---

Erin, I'm not sure what you are getting at. We aren't really having much of a conversation yet.

WE GO BACK AND FORTH FOR SEVERAL EMAILS, TOO PERSONAL TO QUOTE HERE, WHERE I STATE THE TYPE OF WOMAN AND RELATIONSHIP I AM LOOKING FOR. SHE ASKS ME WHAT MY PLAN IS FOR RELATIONSHIP AND CHRISTMAS. I REPLY AND ASK HER THE SAME.

---

thank you for taking your time to write back to me..well i want you to know it been lovely to know your mind concerning something in life and what i want you to know is that if you ask anybody concerning there plan in life they have all got something to say.. i wan t to meet a good man who share the same like i do.. a kind of man who we can both reason along the same direction in achieving things.. though it might not be easy at first reason been that we have not getting use do each other but as time goes on such though will begin to manifest..part of my plan is to also give our kids the best upbringing and the best moral..we should be able to lay good foundation for them to follow and they have to bee a good symbols to other kids outside...Thing can really work in family when the two spouse learn to understand each other and also learn to work hand in hand..working as s team in family is the best that every other person outside the relationship will like to emulate..i'm good woman with a great sense of humour, i'm very strong and independent but i'm very fragile when jt comes to relationship....my part of my plan for the Christmas is to to with my mom and my daughter so that we will be able to celebrate the Christmas together..i also has a plan on taking Kaye out to Rosellas park for the Christmas celebrate.. it is a part every kids around here love to go on every Christmss but i have not make up my whole mind on that anyway...!

---

I LOOKED UP THE PARK AND WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THE ONLY PARK WITH THAT NAME IS IN NIGERIA.

I am not looking to date someone outside the country, but it was great getting to know you.

---END---

SUSPICIONS:

* First, this is Craigslist. It's a shot in the dark. I'm suspicious of anyone.
* I could tell English wasn't her first language.
* Her photo was curiously depressing, so I just figured she was one of those Eastern European girls who thinks Americans smile too much. But the smiley face thing seemed real inauthentic.
* Her evasion of my platonic conversation and right into building a future, romance, children, attraction, vulnerability, etc. was indicative of a mental disorder. But... maybe it was a cultural thing? So I let it slide but kept my guard up.
* No mention of church, God, friends, etc. which were major points of connection that she could easily connect with me on a spiritual or friendly level yet seems to ignore these and redirect the conversation towards a different agenda.
* Rosallas Park is in Nigeria, and for a white woman to live in Nigeria with her daughter and have serious romantic desperation for men overseas who post Craigslist personals is ... well, just not possible.