Bachelor Ben Flajnik should work for the Sonoma, California, Chamber of Commerce. He loves that town-possibly more than he could love one of the women on his Bachelor season!
Let the Dates Begin!
Ben took Kasey B. on the first one-on-one date there, and he took a lot of the girls on a group date there-but I felt the focus was on Sonoma, the kids of the town who wrote a play for them to act out, the people of the town who came to the Community Theater to watch it. Ben loves them all!
Whoever he chooses has to love Sonoma, that’s clear, and be enthusiastic about settling there, because that’s where Ben wants to stay. If you like wine tasting, a close-knit community, and cute little shops and restaurants, you might be the girl for Ben.
But he does get to San Francisco too, and it’s only thirty-three miles away. So life with Ben wouldn’t be as bland as it might seem. The next episode takes place there. It should be glitzy and offer the women the chance to wear gorgeous gowns.
The other thing I noticed last night on his second Bachelor episode is that even though Ben seems smarter than the average Bachelor in a lot of ways, he is just as susceptible as any of them to feminine wiles, and he is just as blinded by physical beauty. The two women he seems to like best at this point are Blakeley and Courtney. They both got roses from him before the Rose Ceremony.
Blakeley Comes on Strong
Blakeley certainly shows an interest in Ben. Every chance she got last night, she was alone with him, pushing herself on him, initiating physical intimacy-to the disgust of the other women. She very rudely interrupted other girls’ time with Ben. They hate her, but Ben seems to appreciate her aggressiveness. Go figure.
When Ben found Blakeley in a corner crying (uncharacteristically vulnerable and suddenly caring what the others thought of her), he told her that he understood what was going on-but he added, “We’re okay. I get you.” Why?
One thing I don’t get is what happened to the sparks that were flyiing on the last episode between Blakeley and Monica. I thought if those two were more interested in each other than in Ben, they’d be gone in a heartbeat. However, that whole thread seemed never to have happened. On the second episode, both were clearly focused on Ben. That’s not okay with me. I expect some consistency in the show. Were they just making out on the first episode to attract more viewers, and now that that’s been accomplished, it’s over? No fair. I want a little credibility, even on a show like this.
Courtney’s Blinding Beauty
Then there’s Courtney, the other woman most of them hate, not only because she’s a beautiful model, but also because she has a superior attitude. Ben is smitten with her, blind to any defects.
Ben took Courtney for a drive in the country and a picnic among the redwoods, on their date. She was quiet, nice but not gushy. She said it was the best date she’d ever been on. I wonder if it’s true. She said she doesn’t go out a lot, had been involved with guys before who went out a lot, which she doesn’t like. She made a vague reference to finding “underwear in the bed.”
She has trust issues, she said.
“Trust me,” Ben replied romantically. He can’t believe this gorgeous model wants to be with him, and he thinks that by saying those magic words, he’s going to make everything okay.
But I think Courtney, in her subtle, sophisticated way, had just put up a huge red flag. She could be very jealous and possessive, in spite of her beauty. She could be difficult. Ben apparently doesn’t see this. More will be revealed, I’m betting.
Two Goodbyes
At the Rose Ceremony, Ben let go of Jenna, the emotionally wobbly blogger from New York City. It’s for the best. And he sent one other woman home, a blonde whose name I don’t know. She accepted her fate graciously. I don’t know why Ben kept Blakeley and Monica.
Ben’s first date, Kacie B., is a sweet, uncomplicated young lady from Clarksville, Tennessee, who can twirl a baton. Together they ate dinner, twirled batons, and watched home movies of each other in a big old movie theater, just the two of them. Both were teary-eyed. She’s probably not Ben’s match-but she made a charming partner for him to take around Sonoma and show the town off.
Sean’s Match?
With her sweet personality and religious family (we saw on hometown date with Ben), Kacie might just be the one for Sean.
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