Seema, a 23-year-old master’s student, was initially excited to meet her Meet Market date, Robert, a 25-year-old client services associate, at Midtown’s Brasserie 8 1/2. But after more than two hours of him sharing far too much personal informaiton, she left the restaurant with eyes for someone else entirely.
He said:
I got to the restaurant 10 minutes early, and though the staff was very friendly, it was a little intimidating because it was a very corporate atmosphere.
Right off the bat, Seema was cheerful and energetic, and we clicked pretty well as we chatted in the U-shape booth. We talked about family – she’s Indian and I’m Nigerian – and the fact that our cultures were so similar. She’s also vegetarian, which scored points with me because I like it when someone believes in something yet respects the fact that other people may eat meat, like me.
However, I knew that we didn’t have any romantic chemistry. When the photographer came, it was fun to pose with her. But when he tried to get us do more romantic stuff, it was awkward. We were acting like sixth-graders discovering the opposite sex again.
In that light, it wasn’t surprising that our goodbye was little awkward. It was the moment when we “should” have exchanged phone numbers, but I feel like taking someone’s number is an unsaid promise to call, and I knew I wasn’t going to. Yes, we clicked and Seema was very sweet and polite, but there was no attraction. She just wasn’t my type.
She said:
Robert was sweating generously when I arrived, which was flattering, since I assumed he was nervous to meet me, but also slightly alarming – dude, it’s just dinner.
We began talking right away, and the waitress had to come by three times before we had a chance to look at the menu. However, I soon learned that Robert’s a TMI kind of guy: Over the next 2 ½ hours, he used our date to discuss very personal details of his life, to the point of his mother’s reproductive history – no joke. Sure, we bonded over similarities like the trials of having immigrant parents, but for the record, I now totally relate to men who gripe about women who talk too much – after a while, even your smile begins to hurt.
Robert was a really nice guy, and our conversation never stalled. However, this guy had an opinion on everything, and I felt as if I was a sounding board instead of an equal participant in the conversation.
If I ever see him on the street, I’ll be sure to say hi. But to be honest, the person who I’m actually looking forward to running into is the Post cameraman – holler at me, Rich!
Meet-o-meter
4 HEARTS I’ll die if you don’t call
3 HEARTS Definitely maybe, baby!
2 HEARTS We’re better off friends
1 HEART I’d rather kiss my super
NO HEARTS It’s not me, it’s you!
Robert 2 HEARTS “Posing romantically, it was like we were in sixth grade again.”
Seema 2 HEARTS “I was more into the Post fotog than my date.”