About a month after my second interaction with It’s Just Lunch, the original girl called, and left a voicemail. She used my first name a lot in the message.

She left a voicemail the next day, too.

And the day after that.

And the day after that.

And the following Monday.

I had worried about stalkers when I re-entered the dating world. It never occurred to me I’d be stalked by a dating service.

A few weeks after I abandon the idea of It’s Just Lunch, they call again: Another hopelessly cheerful woman who says she is the area manager.

She wants to see if I had any concerns or questions about membership that she could answer.

No, I say, it’s just a bit too expensive at the moment.

She talks for a moment about the quality of their service for busy professionals such as myself. She wants to make sure this was communicated to me by the rep who originally spoke to me – whose boss she is, and who has stepped away from the office at the moment.

Yes, I say. She was very thorough. It’s just a bit too expensive at the moment.

I debate what I will say if she offers me a price cut for this valuable service … er, membership. But she doesn’t.

She wants to know when she should check back in with me, when I anticipate I might be ready to join. Assuming I pass muster at the interview, I guess.

I let her know that I’ll follow up when I’m ready.