Patience is an important tool in the dating kit. We may want a second date before the first date is over. Sometimes, though, it takes an entire evening before we know if we are up for another. When Abbe, 28, met with Oleg, 27, at the artisanal cocktail bar and restaurant Bea in Hell’s Kitchen, they got along well — but while one of them was immediately making plans, the other needed to sleep on it to figure out how well.
He said:
As I waited, I saw a tall girl in a bright red coat walk by. Sure enough, it was Abbe.
The whole time she was nice to everyone. We had a good conversation but I wondered if she was really that nice or pretending.
Bea was a cozy restaurant with a nice wait staff. It was a pleasant respite from Times Square a few blocks away. The food was good, and the drinks were excellent.
Abbe and I took the same train part of the way home, at which point it became clear to me she had much higher hopes for another date than I did. As we said our goodbyes, I had mixed feelings and decided to see how I felt about it in the morning.
I felt a more platonic connection. She is a very good person, and I could see us being friends.
She said:
As I was arriving, I noticed a cute guy and wondered if that was my date — and it was Oleg! He is handsome and has a great smile and kind eyes.
We connected easily since we both live in Brooklyn and are from tightly-knit families. He’s in his final year of med school, and it was interesting to hear him talk about his passion for neurology.
Bea was the perfect date location. The staff was incredibly attentive and polite, and the food was delicious. We felt so comfortable we even sampled each other’s entrees (he had pasta with shrimp; I gave him one of my lamb chops).
Oleg isn’t the typical guy I would go for, but there’s potential for romance. When we left, we traveled together back to Brooklyn. He asked for my number, and we shared a quick kiss before I got off at my stop. We had fun and hopefully we’ll get together again.