DEAR ABBY: I’m a single, never married man. I was having trouble finding a nice woman to date, so I bought a T-shirt from a dating website to show the women at the grocery and hardware stores that I’m single and looking for a date.

I now have a new problem — women at the hardware store and grocery stores keep coming up to me, asking about my shirt and trying to get a date with me. I am grateful for it, although I’m having trouble deciding which one I want to go out with.

How do I tell the ones I am not interested in that I’m busy or seeing someone else? They don’t want to take no for an answer. — FLOODED IN FLORIDA

DEAR FLOODED: Stop saying no so quickly. If you are looking for someone special, you are going to have to do some sifting. As you will discover, dating is a process of trial and error. You may find your taste in women will change if you experience a few of them (or more).

P.S. I’m sorry you didn’t mention which website you bought that T-shirt from. Do they also come in women’s sizes?

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Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.