Date Lab

A doctor and a lawyer go out to dinner. Is there a punch line or a love match?

7:30 p.m. | Indique | Cleveland Park

Bobby: I was at the bar having a drink [when] the maitre d' called me over and introduced me to Sarah. She was really pretty. She had on Lisa Loeb-style tortoise-shell glasses. I have a thing for girls with glasses.

Sarah: I found out I was going out with a Bobby; I'd wondered if he was Indian. All of the Bobbys I know are Indian. My best friend is actually from the same place that [his family is] from.

Bobby: The first question out of her mouth was, "Are you Malayali?" which is an ethnic group in India. I said, "Yeah, how do you know that?" She said, "I have lots of Indian friends." She knew the name of the state where I'm from -- Kerala -- and even knew how to pronounce everything. I was impressed. [Then] I asked her where she grew up. She's from Ireland originally. I asked her cliche questions like if she liked U2. She laughed.

Sarah: We talked quite a bit about our jobs. That can be boring, but he's a pathologist -- he works with dead bodies. He said he's not entirely a people person. I'm the other extreme. Any sight of blood, and I think I'm going to faint. It was interesting to listen to [him]. And when I talked about the legal issues and clients I'm working with, he asked follow-up questions. He was listening.

Bobby: My biggest apprehension was that we wouldn't have anything to talk about. I had a plan, questions I'd ask. But the conversation just flowed. She had a cool sense of humor. At first I couldn't tell if she was making fun of me, but then I realized she was being sarcastic.

Sarah: Sometimes I'll be kidding around, and people will think I'm serious. [I'll have] to go back and say I was kidding. He picked up on all that. And he was a consummate gentleman. He was waiting to sit until after I sat down, not starting to eat until both of our dishes arrived. That's one thing I look for in a guy. It's a sign of how they're going to treat you later on.

Bobby: We left Indique around 11 and walked around asking random people to take our picture. We were being goofy. Then we stopped in an Irish pub. She was staying with a friend in Woodley Park, so around midnight I walked her to her friend's place. We hugged, a pretty long hug. I asked her if she'd like to go out again. She said yes.

Sarah: The thing I liked best is that we were both very comfortable. I felt more friendship than any huge attraction, but that's usually how my relationships start. I would give [the date] a 4.

Bobby: It was a 4. It would have been a 5 if we'd kissed, [but] I'm really shy.

Interviews by Kelly DiNardo

>>UPDATE: Bobby says Sarah "was pretty honest" with him about not feeling much chemistry; they've since hung out a couple of times as friends.

>>LOOKING FOR BUD DRINKERS -- and other singles wishing to be set up.