#WednesdayDatingClub Tale

Posted on November 25, 2013 in Date Write-Up, Dating Commentary, London Singles Events, Wednesday Dating Club

The Flash wasn’t the only Experimental Dater taking part in #WednesdayDatingClub last week. Tabula Rasa, Dapper Gent and TOWTS were all out and about dating on Wednesday.

Find out what Tabula Rasa got up to …

Miss Twenty-Nine xxx

Wednesday Dating Club for me this week involved going Speed Dating. An interesting night to say the least.

I’ve previously read Miss 29’s accounts of speed dating with interest, but decided to take the bull by the horns and experience it for myself. So, armed with one of my best pals and a quick bottle of wine in a pub, off we went.

The event took place in a pretty non-descript bar just off Oxford Street and tickets cost £20, which definitely seemed a little steep at the end of the night!

We were all given numbers and then told to make our way downstairs to another part of the bar where we all had to sit where our numbers were placed. This was pretty awkward for two reasons:

The small round tables had been set up to accommodate 4 speed daters, but realistically they weren’t big enough for 2 dates to happen around. You could hear everything the other couple were saying.
At the beginning, everyone took absolutely ages to get settled down, so you were actually on your first date with your corresponding number for a good 10-15 minutes instead of the proposed 4. However I was pretty lucky in that my fellow number 3, seemed relatively normal and up for a laugh.

The compere explained we’d have 9 dates, a quick bar break, and then another 9. He ceremoniously rang a bell, and off we went.

To start with it was quite fun, I kept catching the eye of my friend and giggling. But, about 4 dates in, you eventually tire of “what’s your name, where do you live, what do you do?” It’s verrrrrrrrry exhausting! The guys were…interesting characters.

As the bell rang for the fourth time, I was approached by a man, holding a piece of paper that read:

“Michael, 29, Clapham, Advertising”

He shoved it in front of me and sat down, saying “so you don’t have to ask me such boring questions”. Then proceeded to explain that he had been to speed dating at least 15 times, and told me that I would be better off speaking to guys in a bar. Oh…

Another dater, told me he came speed dating every Saturday night because he had a better time doing it than he did with his friends. Again, oh….

At the end of my 9^th date, and desperately needing a glass of wine, I grabbed my friend and ran upstairs.

We compared horror stories. My friend explained the most awkward moment so far had happened when one of her dates (a Sri-Lankan guy) asked where she was from (she’s American). When he enquired why she had moved over here and she answered for university and asked him the same, he just replied “I’m from a war torn country…”

Oh…

So back downstairs we trooped. At this point, both of us noticed that a couple of guys who had come together, were now so worse for wear, they could hardly stand up. When it was my turn to have a date with the first of them, he proceeded to take his jumper off, crash into the table, then just loudly exclaim “THIS IS SO HARD!”.

I was getting tired. However there was a bit of light relief when, on date 12, the guy explained he was a magician then promptly showed me a trick involving two elastic bands. I had had enough wine to be mildly entertained by this, but sparks were hardly flying anywhere.

I noticed that nearly all of the girls around me were, what one would call, normal. They’d come with friends like me, obviously with the same agenda in mind. However the guys just all seemed a bit odd.

I guess the final nail in the coffin happened when, the bell rang for my final date, and I turned to greet him, and instead he just said “I’m leaving now” and walked out of the bar. Oh…!
I mean, that’s just plain rude.

The bell rang for the final time, and most of us trooped back upstairs for another drink. My friend and I actually probably had more fun talking with the compere of the evening than we had with any of the other guys there.

It was an interesting experience, and my friends loved the story and idea of me going speed dating. But I must say, paying £20 for the experience alone, and then having to buy drinks, made for quite an expensive evening. I’m not sure I’d do it again, however I’m open to experiences. In summary, a bizarre evening, but a story to tell nonetheless.

Tabula Rasa