Dodging Bullets

These days, I am putting some effort into online dating.   I'm opening myself up to phone conversations with more prospects right now.
One guy called me while I was at work the other day... I was a bit put off by it.  But rather than be hasty, I told him I'd call him back when I wasn't working.  I was at home tonight trying to edit a photo session I did this weekend... and thinking I should call him... but that I needed to make progress in Photoshop. 
Suddenly the phone rang - it was a different online suitor.

He started talking.  and talking.  He would make a statement and I would try to respond to him... but he would continue with what he was saying.  Essentially talking over me.   I was annoyed, but thought, "Maybe he's nervous.  I'll give him some time to see if he corrects this behavior."
At one point, I even said something about seeing if I had hit the MUTE button on my phone - because he obviously wasn't hearing me.   Still, nothing changed.

This guy has no idea how to have a conversation!

I would try to interject occasionally, to turn it into a conversation...otherwise it's just a monologue!  But every effort I made was futile.
Finally, I would try to interject - he would keep talking - then I would sigh.  Occasionally, he made room for me, and then started talking before I could finish my thought or point!!  I tried a new tactic - interjecting with "What I was going to say... "  More steamrolling!

This wasn't a 12 year old!  This was a 40+ year old man!

I gave it a full 30 minutes and then when he mentioned that I sounded frustrated... I started to explain that I was feeling like he wasn't interested in anything I had to say.  That he kept talking over me.
Then he interrupted to say something about me interrupting him!

At that point, all bets were off.  I was going to have my say whether he was talking or not - and I told him that it's customary in a CONVERSATION to have some give and take.  A little exchange of ideas.
He didn't hear a word because he was more interested in making his point - which was to say that I was too feisty  - and that he didn't see any point in continuing communication with me.  Communication?!  Ha!

It got a bit ugly... and I expressed alarm that I couldn't be the first woman to make this observation.  According to him I was!  Oh well. Clearly no sense of self awareness. (could that play in to why he is divorced?)

The phone call ended and I was all spun up.  I mean spun UP!
My phone rang again - and it was the guy from the other day.  I was still so agitated that I blurted out what the first guy had done.  Then I felt bad because there I was - dominating the first thirty seconds of conversation. 
But this man listened intently, and expressed appropriate alarm in the situation.

Once I dumped it all out, I was able to settle down - and we had a very nice conversation.  An exchange of thoughts and ideas... just as someone would expect.

It was so nice... and he was very engaging!  I even joked that he was lucky the first guy was such a jerk - it made him look even better!

So I'm planning coffee with guy #2.   Faith in humanity restored for now!