Blind date: He hadn’t touched alcohol since Christmas — then downed four wines

Brian arrived hoping for, at worst, a free meal and an enjoyable conversation and, at best, the start of a journey. He found Jeanette warm, friendly and easy to talk to; they discussed living and working abroad, Parisians being unfriendly, office banter and the best-looking people hanging around in gay bars.

Jeanette’s forthright views about a few Belfast bars made for an awkward moment, but her table manners were impeccable. Brian described Jeanette as funny, vegan and forthright, and thought she might have seen him as reserved. She told him Germans were very reserved and said the Irish drink too much — a stereotype he felt he may have reinforced.

He gave the evening an 8 out of 10 and liked the idea of taking her to gay bar karaoke. Jeanette had hoped to meet a financially stable professional to match her international experience and intellectual curiosity.

blind date, belfast bars, gay bars, karaoke, vegan, parisians, germans, irish drinking, table manners, living abroad