The moment I knew: her witch’s hat made me a goner

In my early 30s I stopped swiping right on men holding fish and began tentatively dating women in Brisbane. A friend asked what I actually wanted in a partner, and my list narrowed to principled, kind and smart — by 2024 I was searching for one thing: kind eyes.

Jessie worked in a bookshop; her brief, well-written profile suggested decency, so I messaged to say she was beautiful not just physically but in character. She replied graciously, took things slow, and I let her calm approach set the pace. Our first meeting was in a dark park after work; she brought a homemade tofu stir-fry, wearing a knee-length gingham dress with a baby T underneath.

Beyond her looks, her energy felt calming, and she was both sharp and sweet. We argued about who would walk whom to their car, and from there began a gently old-fashioned courtship — voice notes, photos while I travelled, flowers, postcards and poems. We agreed romance is wasted on men, and the small gestures between us landed just right.

dating, swiping right, brisbane, dating women, jessie, bookshop, witch hat, tofu stir-fry, courtship, kind eyes