A Monday Night Meeting in Manchester
Two strangers, Henry and Sarah, recently took part in The Guardian's long-running Blind Date column, meeting for dinner and drinks at Namii restaurant in Manchester. The weekly feature, which has been pairing up singles since 2009, saw the 28-year-old student and 30-year-old operations manager navigate an evening of conversation that spanned from marathon running to working in Australian abattoirs.
First Impressions and Table Talk
Henry's first impression of Sarah was of a smiley woman who immediately ordered a spicy margarita, suggesting they were "in for a fun one." Sarah arrived feeling incredibly sweaty after power-walking to the venue but found Henry to have a friendly smile and super welcoming demeanour.
Their conversation flowed across numerous topics including travelling, Glastonbury, families, DJ'ing, writing, and the unexpected subject of hero rats. They discussed Henry's degree, Sarah's job interview the following day, and their shared experience of running marathons.
The Awkward Moments and Verdict
Neither participant reported any major awkwardness, though Henry admitted to dribbling several shards of prawn cracker down his front while Sarah noted the challenge of eating chicken wings elegantly. She did manage to teach him how to use chopsticks, noting his impeccable table manners otherwise.
When asked to describe each other in three words, Henry chose ambitious, outgoing and fearless for Sarah, while she found him warm, intriguing and relatable. Both appreciated the other's positive outlook on life and adventurous spirit.
The Final Score and Future Prospects
Henry rated the evening a solid seven out of ten, while Sarah gave it an eight. They continued to a nearby bar for one more drink before catching the last train home, but no kiss was exchanged.
When asked about meeting again, Henry suggested they might cross paths "on a half marathon start line sometime," while Sarah was more definite: "Probably not, I don't think there was a romantic spark - it was all very friendly." Both agreed that meeting on a miserable Monday in Manchester rather than a weekend evening might have affected the dynamic.
The Guardian's Blind Date column continues to accept applications from singles across the UK via blind.date@theguardian.com, pairing strangers for dinner dates every week since its inception in 2009.
