Max on Joe
What were you hoping for?
Someone funny and up for a good time. In a perfect world a doctor – we can all dream.
First impressions?
Great smile and charming. He clearly had a free-spirited sense of self.
What did you talk about?
Growing up in the countryside and whether London was an amazing place to live or a terrible one. Our reality TV guilty pleasures – his being a Below Deck man and my love for Made in Chelsea.
Any awkward moments?
Maybe when he said he was vegan and I ordered a steak.
Good table manners?
For sure: he kept my glass full.
Best thing about Joe?
His clear passion for everything he has done and wants to do.
Would you introduce him to your friends?
For sure – not in a romantic sense but as someone to challenge their beliefs and add a new perspective.
Describe Joe in three words?
Idealistic, witty and caring.
What do you think he made of you?
That I was good laugh – even if there was no real attraction.
Did you go on somewhere?
We had a cocktail at the restaurant after dinner.
And … did you kiss?
No. I don’t think either of us had a strong desire to.
If you could change one thing about the evening what would it be?
I’d have encouraged him to order a pudding – I missed my favourite part of an evening.
Marks out of 10?
8.
Would you meet again?
In a group of friends – sure.
Joe on Max
What were you hoping for?
A glitzy night out with someone new.
First impressions?
Great – he could talk just as loud and fast as me, which was reassuring.
What did you talk about?
Dating closeted men and fancying straight ones. And we both despaired about dating apps in the countryside.
Any awkward moments?
None that weren’t resolved by his fun spiel about growing up in Weston-super-Mare.
Good table manners?
Excellent. He apologised repeatedly for getting the steak.
Best thing about Max?
He knows what he likes: enthusiasm for the licence fee, that “one good bar” in Aberdeen, and living in Chelsea.
Would you introduce him to your friends?
Yes, if he’d schlep to south-east London.
Describe Max in three words?
In his element.
What do you think he made of you?
He got the measure of me, literally. He looked me over and guessed my suit measurements, a skill honed over years working in retail.
Did you go on somewhere?
No. We opted for one more cocktail.
And … did you kiss?
It never materialised.
If you could change one thing about the evening what would it be?
I’d have sniffed out a dive bar nearby.
Marks out of 10?
7.
Would you meet again?
Max has a penchant for doctors, so in a few years I’ll qualify for another date!
• Max and Joe ate at Nest, Bishopsgate, London EC2. Fancy a blind date? Email blind.date@theguardian.com
