The Awkward First Date Play
It's the moment that we've all been through at least once in our lives - the dreaded first date. Whether it's a blind date arranged by friends or a Tinder match that we've been chatting with for a few weeks, the stakes are high and the pressure is on to make a good impression. But despite our best efforts, sometimes things just don't go according to plan.
At the risk of sounding like an overplayed rom-com, let me set the scene. It's a Friday night and you're nervously pacing around your apartment, trying on different outfits and practicing your small talk in the mirror. Finally, it's time to leave and you make your way to the agreed upon meeting place - a trendy restaurant downtown. You arrive a few minutes early and take a seat at the bar, pretending to be engrossed in your phone while you wait for your date to arrive.
And then, there they are. Your heart skips a beat as you lock eyes with the person you've been imagining what they look like for weeks. They make their way over to you and you exchange awkward greetings, both trying to maintain eye contact while also avoiding any potential physical contact.
As you sit down at your table, the real fun begins. You make small talk about the weather, your jobs, and your hobbies, all while trying to subtly check out each other's bodies and gauge whether or not there's any chemistry. The waiter comes over and takes your drink order, and you both order something safe and non-alcoholic, not wanting to risk making a bad impression by getting too tipsy.
Unfortunately, the conversation doesn't really flow as well as you'd hoped. You find yourself struggling to come up with interesting things to say and relying heavily on generic "getting to know you" questions. Your date seems equally uncomfortable and starts fidgeting with their napkin or nervously tapping their foot under the table.
In an effort to break the tension, you suggest ordering some appetizers to share. As you peruse the menu, you discover that your date is a vegetarian and you quickly try to think of a witty comment or joke to show that you're not a completely clueless carnivore. But the moment passes and you awkwardly settle on some spinach dip and bruschetta.
Finally, the moment of truth arrives - it's time to order your entrees. You quickly scan the menu for something that won't be too messy to eat or require too much effort to cut up. Your date orders something that you've never heard of before, but you don't want to appear ignorant or unsophisticated, so you just smile and nod.
As you wait for your food to arrive, you start to panic. What if your date doesn't like you? What if they find you boring or unattractive? You begin to obsess over every little detail - your hair, your clothes, your voice, your choice of restaurant. The more you think about it, the more nervous and self-conscious you become.
Eventually, the food arrives and you both dig in, making polite small talk between bites. You can't help but notice that your date has a small piece of food stuck in their teeth, but you're too afraid to say anything and risk embarrassing them.
Before you know it, the meal is over and it's time to pay the bill. You both reach for your wallets at the same time and awkwardly insist that you'll pay for the other person. After a few moments of back-and-forth, you finally settle on splitting the bill down the middle.
As you walk outside, you're both feeling a strange mix of relief and disappointment. The date wasn't a disaster, but it also wasn't exactly the romantic fairytale you'd hoped for. You both awkwardly hug goodbye, promising to text each other soon, but deep down you know that you probably won't see each other again.
And that, my friends, is the awkward first date play. It's not always smooth sailing, but it's a rite of passage that we all have to go through at some point. So the next time you're sitting across from a stranger, trying to make small talk and subtly checking them out, just remember that you're not alone. We've all been there, and we'll all survive to date another day.