The Daters
John Davis of Clinton.
“Age: 45.
Occupation: Medical researcher.
What friends love about him: My sarcastic sense of humor and lightning wit … oh, and my modesty.
His perfect date: This can be anything from going to a nightclub to going to the opera. I’m very versatile. A perfect date with someone I already know would be to New York City in the fall, skating in Rockefeller Center, strolling through Central Park, visiting the Met, dinner in Little Italy and a trip to the Empire State Building at night.
Marilyn Wilkes of West Haven.
Age: 46.
Occupation: Public affairs director.
What friends love about her: I may wear rose-colored glasses, but can still be pragmatic. I value traditions, but prefer to put my own spin on them. I am dependable yet spontaneous and am always up for an adventure.
Five things that make her happy: The walk down the trail to the beach at Watch Hill, the adrenaline rush I get from skiing, reading my daughter a bedtime story, cooking dinner for a group of friends, snuggling with that special someone by a roaring fire.
The Date
Union League Cafe, 1032 Chapel St., New Haven, 203-562-4299, http://www.unionleaguecafe.com
Great Expectations.
John: I was looking to meet someone new and interesting. I wasn’t nervous, but I was curious about who I would be meeting.
Marilyn: I was hoping to have a fun night out and excited to make a new friend. Since we were having dinner at Union League, I knew I was going to have a fabulous meal.
John: I arrived first and was able to watch as people entered. My first impression was that she had a nice smile.
Marilyn: He was good looking and well-dressed. I also really liked that he was already there and waiting for me.
Same Campus, Different Views.
John: The food was excellent and the atmosphere was enjoyable.
Marilyn: I felt very comfortable with John. We both work at Yale, so we had that to talk about. He is a molecular biologist, so I found talking with him fascinating.
John: I don’t think we had all that much in common in terms of world view, but she was an interesting conversationalist.
Marilyn: Besides working at Yale and our love of ice cream, we both are avid moviegoers. We talked about our favorite movies. We have some similarities there, but some differences, too. I love Woody Allen movies, and John isn’t that big of a fan. We also found out that we are on different ends of the political spectrum.
Good Company, but Incompatible?
John: It was a pleasant evening, and she was a nice person, but I didn’t get the impression that we were all that compatible with one another.
Marilyn: It was kind of in the middle, not either extreme. I think we enjoyed each other’s company, but it’s too early to tell.
John: I walked her back to her car, thanked her then shook her hand.
Marilyn: Since we had just met each other for the very first time and had been strangers until just three hours prior, we ended the date with a handshake and said we would be in touch by email.
What Grade Would You Give the Date?
Marilyn: A.
John: B.
Would You Go Out for a Second Date?
Marilyn: I would go out with John again. I enjoyed his company and liked talking with him.
John: As I mentioned, I thought she was very nice, but that we probably were not that compatible with one another.”
-Excerpt and (top) image courtesy of the New Haven Register, “Register Matchmaker: And then they came to the subject of Woody Allen movies,” by Register Staff, Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Roger Sherman house 