My single friends complain about a dearth of the unattached during the winter. “Dating on Martha’s Vineyard in winter is an oxymoron,” gripes one frustrated friend. Sure, I feel his pain, but the truth is, it isn’t easy for me either. These are hard times for those of us invested in the making of matches.

At any one time, I know, on average, a mere three people seeking dates. “Who can you set me up with?” they’ll ask. “So-and-so is a great guy. He’s hilarious,” I’ll say, relishing, for a brief period, the prospect of making the “I just knew they’d be perfect together” toast at the wedding.

Then comes the morning-after call from friend number one. The phone usually rings before I’ve even brushed my teeth.

“Why did you think I’d like him?”      

“Because you two have so much in common,” I’ll say.

And she’ll say, “Like what, exactly?”

And I’ll say, “You both live on Martha’s Vineyard, and you’re both single.”

And she’ll say, “Is that all?”

And I’ll confess, “Yes, that is all.”

Friend number two usually calls shortly after brushing – same conversation, better breath.

With such limited inventory, the setter-uppers among us tend to experience defeat after defeat after defeat. It’s tremendously demoralizing. I had just about abandoned all matchmaking activities and was preparing to dissolve my membership in the Friends Who Set Up Friends Association of America (FWSUFAA), when I discovered the antidote to my fixer-upper blues. His name was Tyson.      

As these things go, I wasn’t even thinking about matchmaking when I met Tyson. I simply walked into the MSPCA with my daughter, and there he was, standing on the desk. Tyson wasn’t the first adorable dog we’d fallen in love with at the MSPCA, but he was the first one that we decided needed to be in our lives, even if he couldn’t be in our home. (We have a dog that is too big in size and temperament to bring another dog into the mix, but my daughter likes to go see the animals at the MSPCA.)

We wanted to find Tyson a home with someone who would grant us visitation rights. Who did we know who wanted a dog? Who did we know who we thought needed a dog? Tyson was an easy sell. A spirited and snorty black pug, loving and great with kids, Tyson was a catch – so what if he wasn’t house-trained.

It only took two days before we found a family of four who also fell in love with Tyson. Beginners’ luck? Not a chance. This Island is stocked with dog lovers. The MSPCA is stocked with dogs. It’s too good to be true. Reinvigor-ated, I call my single friends. “I’ve got a great Dane for you to meet.”