Songbird,
Toneus is accurate.
By the way, that is approximately the same procedure that I would use, and I'm a SWM 'Ler, perhaps twice the age of half the membership here, studied judo, can do 50 pushups and ride 5 miles on a bicycle with ease, and I have personal experience in my life with real live tickling of the type that almost all of us here want to enjoy. Having said that, I would not meet a girl for bondage and tickling on the first date.
<B><I> Please meet the guy in public AT LEAST once. </I></B>
A little public dating before bondage and tickling should not scare away any sincere honest 'Ler who has our mindset. (Indeed, it should make him way more comfortable)
It will, however, scare away the liars. (Somebody here please pull up that thread where the girl did what Songbird is contemplating, and got beaten and battered.)
On the concept of bringing a friend with you on the first meeting; that friend does not have to be sitting at the same table; just in the same room,,, and hey by the way, your friend can also be two friends,,, one of whom is a male who weighs 275 pounds and is having a pizza/burger/salad at another table with "his girlfriend" (who could perhaps be a similarly large woman) both with cellphones and your number.
You can let the guy know about this, and let him know that your friend(s) will be there. Perhaps let him know that "at least one" friend will be present.
Now get ready for this: don't be surprised if HE wants to meet you under a similar context where HIS friend(s) will also be at the pizza place. (Girls do hurt boys, and friends can help things to happen, or not happen, as the case may be.)
Songbird, listen, if I'm going to meet you for this, and we've never spent one moment together in real life, I will certainly understand your trepidation and caution; indeed I will welcome it.
Doesn't it make sense that I want to go on a date with you (really several dates) before bondage and tickling ?
Last little thing; and I hope you don't get offended by this,,, but make the meeting place public, simple, cheap, a clean and spiffy place, and go dutch on it. i.e., take all threats, costs, and pressure off of him. It won't cost him anything, and all you're going to do is [1] Look at him and [2] Converse with him in public.
(Okay, he has to buy his own salad and pizza; but if he's like me, he probably eats food anyway)
Understand the concepts ? Low pressure + Low committment = High Safety