Are you fed up with hanging out with your smug married friends, or those who are in serious relationships? Are you rather tired of being the 'wallflower' at all the gatherings that you attend? Do you even know where you can go to meet other singletons?

The million-dollar question, my friends! One that has been asked in every western country that I know of! The truth is, there are no guarantees, no matter where I suggest you go. However, do not despair too much, as you can at least try to do something about your situation.

A few weeks ago I received this email from one of my male readers:

I have been a regular reader of your articles in the Outlook magazine. I know what you write weekly is always enticing to read.

What I want to know is if you have any idea of places where decent singles meet. I am a single guy, who wants to know where there is a single club, (Jamaica/Kingston) where one can go and just relax.

Thanks in advance.

'Decent singles'

My answer to this is yes, I do know places where single men and women hang out, though these locations are not exclusively for the unattached. What's interesting in his letter to me are the words, 'decent singles'! We could assume that, of course, everyone wants to find someone decent, but what exactly does that mean?

I looked it up and here is what I found:

1. Polite or respectable

2. Proper and suitable, or fitting

3. Conforming to conventions of sexual behaviour

4. Free of oaths, blasphemy, et cetera

5. Good or adequate

6. Kind or generous

7. Sufficiently clothed to be seen by other people

All fairly reasonable aspects to expect of your date, don't you think?

So this fellow really has two matters that puzzle him. First of all, how does one find out if someone is 'decent'? Then where might we bump into this type of person?

If you have a friend who knows the lady (or man) you like, then they should be able to reveal if she is any of the above. However, if your mates know any single lasses who they can introduce you to, why would you need to go elsewhere? This leaves one option: you have to spend time with said woman and get to know her properly. OK, that was easy enough - next!

Where do these 'decent' people patronise? Wow! I could get into some serious trouble here. I might recommend a bar in which one man has had no such luck, or omit another which I shouldn't, as it turns out to be the perfect venue but I just don't know about it. If the latter happens to be the case, please email me! The same goes for the former scenario.

Perhaps the best way to list my suggestions is to do so under a few town headings.

Kingston:

Cuddy'z

Carlos' Café

Christopher's Jazz Bar

Peppers Nightclub

The Deck

Red Bones (when there's live music)

Grosvenor Galleries (on a Wednesday night when there's live music)

Hotel bars

The Red Stripe Mound at Sabina Park when cricket is on

A 'Pay' party

Church gatherings

Fairs and exhibitions

Montego Bay:

BlueBeat

Margaritaville

Groovy Grouper

A 'Pay' party

Doctor's Cave Beach on a weekend

Ocho Rios:

Evita's on Latin Night (Saturday)

Please, whatever you do, do not shoot the messenger! These are merely ideas and by no means will they ensure a definite date. You'll need to go out with an open mind, willing to talk to strangers. You will also have to approach others with care and tact. If you come across as too forward and brash, you might get shut down.

For the rest of you, especially ladies, give the men a chance. If you don't, then you have no right to complain about being single. It's just a single guy looking for a decent woman in a single meeting place!

Angelaphilippsja@hotmail.com