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Dinner With Cupid

Dinner With Cupid: Something new

Will these exploration-minded daters wind up going somewhere together?

HANK TOM > 54

Engineer

HIS IDEAL SATURDAY Cook breakfast at home. Do some outdoor activities in the afternoon — an in-season festival or event, explore a new place — or visit family and friends.

HIS PERFECT DATE Not thinking about the next date, but hoping the time you’re having together now would not end

LISA MCLAUGHLIN > 47

Teacher

HER FAVORITE PLACES TO GO I have lived in Maine and love to visit there, especially the coastal areas. I enjoy visiting new places, day-tripping, weekend getaways, and vacations.

HER PERFECT DATE Time spent with someone you enjoy being with and not wanting it to end

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7:30 P.M. > CHIARA BISTRO, WESTWOOD

> NEW WORLD

LISA I worked all day, so I came home, walked the dog, and freshened up.

HANK There was a lot of wishful thinking.

LISA I was fairly calm, hoping just to meet someone as a friend and take it from there.

> FIRST DISCOVERIES

HANK I arrived about 15 minutes early. Lisa arrived on time. The host introduced us.

LISA He seemed nice, dressed well, physically fit, and attractive.

HANK She had a very calm expression that gave me a nice reassuring feeling.

LISA I think he was somewhat uncomfortable.

HANK We were both very comfortable throughout the date.

> LET’S GET LOST

LISA We had very limited conversation.

HANK Lisa is very smart and successful. [She] pulled off working outside the home and raising her children to independent adults now.

LISA I asked a lot of questions to find some common ground, but most of our conversations fizzled pretty quickly.

HANK We both prefer living near the water.

LISA He did mention he would like to be a chef if he ever lost his engineering job.

HANK Lisa does not cook much.

LISA He spent a lot of time watching the kitchen. . . . I was wishing he would talk more. I felt like I was interrupting his solitude, and it seemed he was not enjoying himself.

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HANK We were determined to have a pleasant dinner.

> NO MAN’S LAND

HANK We never got to the part where we made each other laugh.

LISA I never felt comfortable. It was awkward. I am not sure he wanted to be there.

> HEADING HOME

HANK We walked out together and went our separate ways.

LISA We shook hands, and that was the end of the evening.

> POST-MORTEM

HANK A. Lisa is a good friend.

LISA C. The lack of communication made this really hard.

>SECOND DATE?

LISA No.

HANK A romantic date is definitely a no. — Compiled by Andrew Doerfler

GO ON A BLIND DATE. WE’LL PICK UP THE TAB. Fill out an application at boston.com/cupid.