I really like the sound of your voice

"Do you have a girlfriend?" asked Aunt Charlotte.
"Sadly no, dating is impossible these days," replied Pierre.
"Impossible? Why? You're young, tall, handsome. How do you not have a girlfriend?"
"I'm not as handsome as you think Aunt Charlotte. It's rough out there."
"Hogwash. If you put yourself out there you will find the perfect girl for you."
"No one wants to settle down these days. Especially at my age. Everyone is dating around."
"That existed in my day too. When you meet the right person, they will want to settle down."
"I think that only happens in the movies."
"Movies are based on real life, Pierre."
"No, they're not."
"Of course they are. Movies are written by people. Where do you think people get their inspiration?"
"I don't know."
"Their lives, people get inspiration from their real lives."
"I guess."
"It's the truth. Now come on, you're 28. Stop wasting you're life and go get a girlfriend."
"Have you seen the apps? They are a disaster."
"Then get off the apps!"
"You can't do that! That's suicide."
"Why not?"
"Because how else do you meet people?"
"How did people meet before the dating apps?"
"I guess through friends? I really don't know."
"That was one way. People met everywhere. Parties, bars, concerts, coffee shops. Everywhere."
"No one meets like that anymore."
"Of course they do. You have to start thinking outside of the box."
"Besides, how do you walk up to a stranger and ask her out?"
"Well you start with 'Hi', and then you go from there."
"In broad daylight?"
"Yeah, why not?"
"But it's awkward! What if there are people around?"
"Most girls would be flattered if you approached them."
"No, they wouldn't."
"Yes, they would. It takes a real man to do that. It shows confidence."
"But what if she ignores me?"
"She won't ignore you!"
"But what if she does?"
"Then you just talk louder."
"That makes me look creepy."
"No, it doesn't. It makes you look confident."
"It won't work. And besides, she's probably got five other guys in her phone trying to ask her out."
"That's perfect. They are all on her phone. You're right in front of her."
"I guess that's true."
"Yes, it is true. Get out there. Start living!"
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Why didn't you ever settle down?"
"I just never met the right guy."
"You must've had many suitors. None of them were right?"
"It's hard to say. When I look back I think I could have made it work with a couple of guys. It would have been difficult but I think I could have made it work."
"Why didn't you?"
"For some of them, I didn't want it to continue. For others, they didn't want it to continue."
"You seem pretty happy now. Do you wish you made it work with one of those guys?"
"There are some days that I do. But most of the time I am okay with my choices. We all do the best that we can. That's all you can do. Life has a way of figuring itself out if you just do all that you can do. Which is why I really think you should step it up on the dating front."
"I could tell you the same thing."
"I'm in my fifties. You're in your twenties. It's a little different."
"How so?"
"Well, for one, I have very few options."
"Why? I know a lot of guys in their 50s that are still single."
"Yeah, but how many of them have two chins?"
"Most of them." He chuckled.
"Exactly, no thanks."
"Fair. So we both agree that dating sucks right now?"
"I don't think I would be saying that if I was in my 20s."
"But it has to be worse than it was 20 years ago, right?"
"Oh yeah, that is for sure."
"Why do you think that is?"

She thought about it for a moment.

"Texting," replied Aunt Charlotte.
"What?"
"Texting. That is why dating is worse right now."
"Huh?"
"When I was younger we would talk on the phone to make plans and that was it. If you made plans for Friday on Monday there was no communication between Monday and Friday. You showed up on Friday and that was it. You had the anticipation, the build-up, the excitement. Nowadays people want to talk every day. Or check in all the time. They want to be all in each other's lives. It's nonsense. There's no buildup."
"I mean I hate texting too but you have to do it. If you don't text a girl every few days she is going to think you are losing interest. Then she's just going to start talking to some other guy."
"That seems quite immature and insecure."
"Welcome to 2023. I wish I could call girls instead of texting them."
"Why can't you?"
"It's just not the way things are done right now. Say I get a girl's number. If I call her the next day, she is going to not pick up and then block me."
"Well don't do it that way. Meet the girl one time, make sure that you guys have a real connection, and then ask if you can call instead of text."
"That's going to come across as weird."
"Well, it depends on how you do it. Instead of asking outright say 'Hey, I really like the sound of your voice. Do you mind if we start talking on the phone instead of texting?'"
"You think that would work?"
"Yes, I think it would. Never underestimate the power of a well-placed compliment."
"Ugh but what if she wants to start face-timing?"
"Block her."