I need to understand

Using the remote control to flick aimlessly from program to program, each and every one of them being as uninteresting and unappealing as the one beforeI realised the annoyance I was causing my brother. I looked over to him as he tutted and shuffled uncomfortably in his chair. He'd come to visit me on his way home from work and seemed rather more tetchy then usual, admittedly I find remote flicking annoying too, but usually he pays attention comfortably and jumps in to stop me when a program catches his eye.

'Whats up?' I asked in a concerned tone

He looked at me with what appeared to be a grateful look, making me realise he had probably been waiting for me to ask that very question since he arrived.

'Need love' he said without any hint of humour 'sick of being alone and just not finding it'

I smiled in pity, I understood where he was coming from, he'd had no luck in life whatsoever. Anywoman I'd knownhim meet he just didn't seem to connect with. He'd met various women in various situations, in pubs, in parks walking his dog, at the supermarket, he'd even dated a woman at his place of work where he'd so farhad a nine year long career in web site design but none of them worked out, he just seemed to pick the wrong ones. One thing I hadn't heard of him trying though was dating on-line. It seemed a long shot as the type of women he'd alreadymet in real life were also online in some capacity, but still, every thing's worth a shot.

'What about trying dating on-line' I said helpfully.

He laughed 'are you joking?' he said 'my favourites list is a mass of sites for dating online, I've even got one set as my home page!'

Now it was my turn to laugh, I'd heard of people getting hooked on the whole idea of dating on-line and had even heard various success stories about it, but setting it as your home page I found rather amusing. I made a mental note to myself that if I ever get into such a thing I will make absolute sure I do not change my home page to one by remembering how desperate it made my brother sound right now.

We spent the evening laughing and joking about his women troubles, part of me felt for him and the situation, the other part of me found it highly hilarious. Of course I didn't voice the latter part. It was true when it came to women he seemed such a disaster and it had been part of family discussions many a time, but none of us could work out why, he was a nice enough guy, fairly good looking, caring, loving and had alot going for him really. So why his relationship with women seemed to be one disaster after another none of us could work out.

I soon would.

A few weeks after this conversation he turned up at my house, again on his way home from work, with one of his colleagues who I'd met before and to be quite honest was pleased to see as I thought he was attractive the first time we met. Whilst I made them a cup of tea my brother quietly announced that he felt he had sorted out his dating problems and was now back on the road embarking in a new relationship. I was really pleased to hear this, yet slightly shocked when he gesturedtowards his colleague and said very seriously 'meet my new boyfriend, we've been together for a couple of weeks now and it's going great'