Would You Go Out With a Guy Your Friends Make Fun Of?

The other night, I was out celebrating my friend's birthday. We were at one of our favorite bars when we spotted a yellow shirt wearing guy in the corner.

"Check out Big Bird in the corner!" My friend R exclaimed.

I smiled. It was true. The guy was larger than average, and the yellow t-shirt-and the way he was perched on the rickety bar stool-really did make him look like Big Bird.


Anyway, an hour-and several drinks later-Big Bird and I found ourselves talking. He had an adorable Irish accent (his real name was Declan) and had a cool-creative job writing dialogue for video games. I didn't even know that was a job!

An hour and a half later, Declan and I were making out on the street corner and making promises to see each other the next weekend.

The next day at brunch, my friends laid into me, good-naturedly joking about what went down that evening. Then, when Declan called, I let the call go straight to voice mail. Then he texted me. And I texted back, telling him that I didn't think it was a good idea that we meet, that I don't usually make out with guys at bars (which is true), and I'm just not really dating at this point in my life (also true.) The point is, very rarely do bar makeouts become relationships, and I just don't know how much of a spark I felt.

But a little part of me wonders if the whole reason I said no and wouldn't give him a chance is because of peer pressure. It's more complicated than that-and I know if I'd really felt a full-on spark I would have made plans-but it all made me wonder if you ever feel pressure from your friends about the men you date?

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