Date #14: Erin

Erin S.: It's nice to see a familiar face! We've been looking forward to Erin's date since we saw her video application what seems like months ago now. Did they save all those girls who actually made some effort to make videos for the end? In case you forgot already, this is the girl with all the shoes!



Date Recap: The date starts at In-N-Out and, as we've said before, clearly Bachelor Rick likes his burgers. He is waiting at a table and Erin sneaks up behind him wearing a backpack and they embrace. She's cute as a button and we already like her. We find out that Erin just arrived in L.A. after waiting standy-by. Thankfully her Sky Miles came through and she made it just in time for the date! They eat their burgers and Bachelor Rick reveals something about himself we instantly wish he would have kept to himself: he was a former In-N-Out employee in high school and eats there at least five times a week. I'm sorry, can you repeat that, Rick? "I'd probably eat there five times a week. No joke." Okay, phew. We thought for a second you meant that you currently eat there five times a week (in which case you need a wife faster than even TMB can arrange for you) and we were about to throw up all over the white Keds Erin just pulled out of her backpack. She reveals that these glowing white shoes will be used as a canvas for whatever artistic whimsy meets their fancy. Gotta hand it to her, this is probably something Bachelor Rick, or anyone in the history of dating and courtship, has never done before. You can tell right away that Erin had her shoe-art all planned out from the get-go. It's cute and perky and will probably make for a nice dating souvenir in Bachelor Rick's dental office, or bedroom, or car, or trunk of his car, or anywhere but probably on his own feet. After the shoe-art is done the two head for a comedian of sorts (which Bachelor Rick reveals in his re-cap is at Disneyland or Disney town or Disney something). The date ends with Erin and Bachelor Rick each throwing a coin over their shoulder, into a fountain, and making a wish. Oh dear, oh dear. Didn't anyone ever tell them that actually revealing their wish will instantly make it not come true?

First Impression: You know how sometimes girls are mean? Like downright awful and nasty kind of mean? And sometimes they love to hate other girls just because they're mean like that? Well Erin is one of two types of girls who we can't see fitting into that mold. Here's why: 1) She's just so darn sweet and cute that unless you're the very worst kind of girl, there's no way you could hate her, and 2) I highly doubt she hates other girls either--she's so above that because she is has a kind heart and a good soul. So props to Erin for being that kind of awesome!


Surprises: For the love, can someone please get this boy's hand holding under control? We tolerated it for most of these girls, but we can't tolerate it for someone as sweet and innocent as Erin! You know she's the type of girl who takes things like that to heart and that holding hands is probably a big deal to her. Like a really big deal. So while hand holding may be the equivalent of a hand shake to Rick, to Erin it probably means HAND HOLDING! Get a clue, Rick! Learn to read these girls a little better, please!


Second Date Potential: We want to say the possibility is high because this girl is so darn sweet, but we don't see it. Was Erin super excited about Rick? Yes. So very excited (dang him for holding her hand!). Was Rick super excited about Erin? Sigh. We don't think so.


TMB Excitement Level: He really had fun with Erin,  no doubt. But if we're being honest, he probably sees her more as the girl he's going to call up to get her advice (not "advise," as Rick likes to call it) on the other date he just had.


Creativity Points: In-N-Out, not creative at all. And since we know Rick already eats there on his own five times a week, or at least used to, we shouldn't encourage any more dates to this burger joint. Shoe-art, now there's something we never expected. Bonus points to Erin for coming up with that idea! Although something artistic like that on a first date has major awkward potential as well.

Final Thoughts: You can tell Erin wanted Bachelor Rick to know who she truly was--an artist, and a sweet one at that. We like that she had the courage to show him what she was all about. Some people shy away from revealing things like that on a first date but she wanted to make this date count. At least if there is no second date, she can't say she didn't try and that she didn't put herself out there. And Erin, remember this, if this doesn't turn into a dating relationship, it's him and not you, okay?

So, are we dead on or dead wrong on this one?