Things will be great when you're downtown

I live two miles from the downtown of a large city (the Northwest side of Grand Rapids, Mich. to be exact).

I try to stay "in the city" as much as humanly possible. I leave to go to the movies, to go to the grocery store and to, well, leave town. That's about it. I live, work and play in the city.

It's no New York or Chicago, but, it has its charms. And it's better than the suburbs (except when hoodlums throw firecrackers at your house).

If you want to go to a concert or a festival, check out a sporting event or hit a cool bar, you have to go downtown. Seriously. There aren't many other places to go around here. Got it? Good. Because this is important.

So this guy who is a resident of a local suburb asked me out. I suggested meeting somewhere downtown. His response? "I don't really know anything there. I've never really been there."

What?

How? How? How is that possible? It isn't unless you have no life. Now, this guy doesn't really know me - or he would know how incredibly appalling I would find such a statement.

This guy seemed (past tense) normal enough but clearly, if he has never been downtown to a concert, festival, museum or bar I should not even waste my time on him. He needs to spend time with some nice, simple girl who likes dining at chain restaurants and hanging out at the mall! In other words, someone who is less than fabulous!