Date Lab

7:30 P.M., D'ACQUA, PENN QUARTER

Andrea: I ended up taking the Metro because [the weather was bad]. I went to the bathroom [at the restaurant] to get rid of the hat head. When I came out, he was sitting at the bar.

Jeffrey: I was like, Whoo, thank God. She was very attractive. She had a nice smile, nice skin color, nice lips.

Andrea: I [thought], Okay, he's nice-looking. Nice, really clear, smooth skin and a really nice smile. He had on a cable-knit sweater. You could see he worked out.

Jeffrey: I am a certified trainer; I do that for health reasons and because as a single guy I have to be marketable. [The manager] had us sit near the window and near other people, which I liked. I didn't want [Andrea] to think it was [too] intimate. We ordered appetizers and went from there.

Andrea: We talked about all the basic stuff. We like Earth, Wind & Fire. We both like Chris Rock. We like to travel. Like to dance. We found out we were both retired from the Air Force. That was a big thing.

Jeffrey: We had similar experiences and similar duty stations; that made it easier. We knew some of the same individuals, and we laughed about [them]. There really wasn't much that we didn't have in common.

Andrea: I was thinking, Gosh, he's so easy to talk to. [And] he was very, "Oh, you look nice" -- that sort of a thing. So I guess there was flirting on his part. It kind of takes me a little bit to warm up to people. I told him [that].

Jeffrey: [That] didn't bother me at all. We all approach things differently. I actually told her, "Yeah, I would like to see you again," because she had good energy; she was attractive. She kind of concurred but wasn't as open as I was. She said, "Things are going well." We talked and talked and talked. We didn't actually leave until, like, 9:30.

Andrea: We went a little bit over the budget, and his [cash] was in his coat. He says, "Do you have change for a 50?" I said, "I'll give you change, and you'll give me the $50 [when we leave]."

Jeffrey: We ended up talking again and got completely sidetracked. She was taking the Metro. And I was like, "No, you're not." I [said I] would give her a ride wherever she had to go.

Andrea: We walked to his car, and he opened up the car door for me. He says, "Oh, you have to have my phone number to call me and let me know [you got home safely]." When we got to my car [we hugged]. I got in my car and realized he still had my money. I was laughing. I knew he wanted to see me again.

Jeffrey: When I did get home, I was like: You know what? I owe her some money. And then I got a call from her, and I told her, "That's sort of the perfect excuse for me to see you again." I would give [the date] a four-plus [on a scale of 1 to 5].

Andrea: I'd give it a 4.9, and that's only because he has my money. I know [we'll see each other] besides the money thing and maybe after that, too.

Interviews by Elizabeth Chang

Update: The two settled up at a second date. But a third looks iffy. Jeffrey says they have "different lifestyles; I'm more into fitness." Andrea says she hasn't heard from him since he responded to a happy birthday text she sent. "I don't chase after men," she adds.

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