Where to Meet Someone, Part 2

Ok, so once, I did have an experience of meeting someone/getting asked out on the street. However...here's how it went.

I was walking down the street with a coworker/good friend (and regular blog reader). It was just after New Year's, I believe, and I had made a resolution to be more open-minded toward men who ask me out (it was "The Year of the Yes" for me, if you will). Anyhow.

A random jogger guy ran past us at some point. I saw him briefly. My friend and I happened to separate because she had to go to her car and I went back into the office. A couple minutes later, said friend calls my cell phone.

In short, this jogger guy approached her and asked for my number. A.Page, being the savvy friend that she is, told him she would take his number down and give it to me.

Long story short, it was the year of the yes, I was single, I gave him a call. I'll give you a brief synopsis of said phone conversation. (I have summarized for your sanity, dear reader.)

(A brief 'Hi, how's it going, etc.' takes place.)
Me: So what do you do? Where do you work?
His name was Phil: I work in advertising, at an agency.
Me: Oh cool, I work in advertising too. I work at XXXX. Which agency do you work at?
Phil: Uh, it's on Michigan Avenue. I'm not supposed to say.
Me: Huh?
Phil: They don't like it when we tell people where we work, you know.
(Ooookkkk....)
Me: So where do you live?
Phil: Chicago
Me: Which area? (All I was lookin' for a was a simple 'Lincoln Park' - not a specific street address.)
Phil: The city, in general.
Me: Uh, this is kind of weird.
Phil: You have to understand where I'm coming from, I don't really know you, my last girlfriend was the psycho....
Me: (Since I was getting irritated at this point, I figured I'd give him one final chance to strike out.) What's your last name?
Phil: Oh, there's no way I'm gonna tell you that.
Me: You think I'm possibly going to agree to meet you when you won't tell me the first thing about yourself?
Phil: Well, we can meet at a public place.
(LIKE THERE WAS EVER AN ALTERNATIVE OPTION.)
Me: CLICK.

Anyhow - long story short - something was obviously shady. So, I guess that brings me back to part 1 of this series - is it possible to meet a NORMAL person who turns into a legitimate relationship in this way? Does this happen?

Editor's sidenote: However unrealistic, I do believe that his employer is, for obvious reasons, ashamed of the individuals it hires and that hr may have, indeed, pulled him on the side and asked him never to divulge that he is, indeed, associated with them.

Speaking of Resolutions...

I once heard about a book about a woman who decided, for one year, to go out with everyone who asked her out, no matter what the circumstances.  I believe she felt she was unlucky in love and possibly too picky and wanted to meet the man of her dreams.  I'm assuming she had some help from somewhere because I believe she went out with somewhere around over 100 people in the period of a year.  The book is called "The Year of Yes".

I caught wind of this book/concept and I have made multiple jokes about it (mainly plays on words with the title).  I have had friends who have declared a 'year of the yes' or a 'year of the no'.  

Around three years ago (eek!) - I semi-declared a 'year of yes'  and decided to be more open-minded about who I would date - it lasted a couple months (there are a lot of creeps out there - this concept simply doesn't work in the city of Chicago, let me tell you).

I personally find that if I go out with someone I am not sure I am necessarily interested in to begin with, I continue to feel the same way about him after a couple dates and then end up in the situation of  having to have an awkward conversation about only wanting to be friends.   Although it's good to have an open-mind, I think there's also a 'you shouldn't lead a person on' component to the situation, and honestly, I have never had a 180 change of opinion on someone.

Anyhow, what does everyone think of said "Year of Yes" concept?