I signed up about a month ago, partly as a joke and partly out of curiosity. A friend of mine did it several months back and got a kick out of it. So I figured, why not? I convinced a guy friend of mine to join me -- in case the night took a turn for the worst we’d have one another to bail each other out. My expectations were low in the sense that I was certain I was not going to meet anyone worthwhile but rather it would be a great source of amusement. The thought of sitting in front of 21 men, for three minute intervals, basically asking bio data questions was hilarious to me. And that was my attitude going into it; this is going to be funny.
Directly after work, I hopped on the train headed downtown and arrived at the location where the event was being held. I walked to the back room, which was the lounge area of the restaurant. At first sight it was a nice setting, conducive at the least. Dimly lit but light enough to see clearly that who is sitting across from you. All seats were strategically placed for partnering up and each table had a number. As I walked further into the lounge I observed most of the people at the bar. At the other end a cameraman and producer from MTV Desi were set up. Now things were getting interesting! I signed up and received my number. I was #7 (a divisible of my lucky number, 14. Yes, I tend to be superstitious). I walked over to the bar and ordered a Pinot Grigio (I prefer Noir, but didn’t want my teeth to get red. You know how that can be). I made a friend with another girl as my guy friend had not arrived yet (we’ll call him “Peter”). So, since Peter wasn’t there yet I made friends with “Ami.” She seemed to be the only one not there with friends. We actually hit it off nicely and turned out we were sitting right next to each other during the event. Okay, let me fast forward. This is how it works: there’s 21 guys and 21 girls. Each guy has a number that corresponds with a girl’s number, which is how it starts off. I had # 7 so the lucky gentleman with #7 sat down in front of me first. Then the bell rings. At this point you have 3 to 5 minutes to talk. There is also a pen and list in front of you with numbers, where you can jot down names and notes of each guy. Like, #1-Cutie, #4-nice smile, #12 -Bad breath etc. It was all quite typical, “What do you do? Where are you from? How old are you? Where did you go to school?” It felt forced most of the time but everyone was pleasant so it wasn’t a bother. I must say the most entertaining part of the night was the girl to my left (not Ami, who was on my right). We’ll call girl on left, GFB (Girl From Bombay). GFB was WASTED before the first bell even rang! Her top cut very low. To say she had cleavage would be an understatement, it was more like nippage. And with each drunken bend, the whole room got a show. I tried to warn her that she was giving away the whole farm, but I soon realized she didn’t mind, and after that it was pure entertainment. The girl got up in the middle of a 3-minute "date" to stumble up to the bar only to be escorted back to her seat! She left the poor boy sitting all by himself. That’s just wrong. When GFB wasn't causing a scene I carried on with my formulaic conversations (though she was a good go-to when things got dull). There was only one guy there that I could say remotely caught my interest, though I can't remember his name for the life of me! But really, how much do you have to go off of after 5 minutes?
Overall it wasn’t a bad experience, I actually had fun. And so did Peter and Ami. At the end of the night I had to pick the guys I liked the most and if they pick you, both emails will be exchanged in four days. Unfortunately, due to various circumstances I was unable to make a well-informed decision. Firstly, I didn’t keep good track of the names and numbers of each person as we went along. Secondly, nobody really struck me and so I was unable to remember specifics. And finally, by the end of the night I was too drunk to really care. (Do I sound like an ass?) To my surprise most of the people in attendance were actually quality and better than I expected, for both sexes that is. Peter felt that his night was relatively successful and was happy with the selection of ladies. Now, whether I get matches, I won't know for a few days. But in the end I had a few good laughs with Peter, and I made a new friend – Ami!
It seems the world of dating is evolving, especially in a city that is known to be the "city of singles." Why ARE so many people in NYC single? Is it bc we're always looking for the next best thing? Maybe we're all just too busy to slow down. I have a few friends that have lived here for a while and the consensus is that you just meet so many people, perhaps there's too many options. If you're in New York most likely you are pursuing a career of some sort -- whether it be business, acting, higher education or film. These days, especially for women, careers take priority. That, coupled with a man's career agenda, is hard-hitting. Who slows down for who? If we're all looking out for our own future, when do our paths collide?
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