Outrageous First Dates: Verse Three

When you’re single and living in New York, it’s easy to find yourself on a date with an eccentric character. One of my more outrageous, albeit brief, first dates happened after crossing paths with a guy at an arcade in Times Square.

Chevy's Restaurant in Times Square: Site of one of my more outrageous first dates

The mysterious stranger invited me for a drink at the neighboring Chevy’s Mexican restaurant. As soon as we sat at the bar, he mentioned that he was an aspiring actor. Then, after tilting his head down briefly, he looked at me with a menacing stare and burst into tears.

Deciding this was a little too much drama, rehearsed or otherwise, I excused myself to go to the bathroom and never came back.

For my good friend Lauren, a blind date with a family friend’s son turned out to be of equally short duration. Lauren was surprised to discover she had already met her blind date at a party a few weeks before -- when he was introduced as her friend’s boyfriend.

Geography became an issue when Philadelphia-based publicist Meredith was set up with a New Yorker just a few days before her birthday. Initially, Meredith’s date had agreed to drop her off at a mutual friend’s house after dinner. That night, he said it was too far to drive and suggested Meredith stay over at his parents’ house instead. He didn’t take it too well when she declined the invitation.

“He proceeded to open the trunk and throw a bunch of presents at me and angrily wished me a Happy Birthday,” she says. “It was awkward.”

On the plus side, Meredith enjoyed a nice meal and show prior to her date’s outburst. Which just proves that even on an outrageous first date, you’ll get something to show for your time

-- even if it’s just an amusing story.

Coming up…a TomKat sighting at one of NYC’s hottest restaurants and holiday romance By The Numbers.