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Dinner With Cupid

Blind date: The officer and the law student

Will it be smooth sailing for this Navy man and his accomplished date?

Mackenzie O’Donnell and Padraig O’Brien.

PADRAIG O’BRIEN: 23 / Naval officer

His hobbies: Sailing, swing dancing, flag football

When he is happiest: Winning bar trivia

MACKENZIE O’DONNELL: 23 / law student

Her hobbies: Watching golf, playing rugby, and crocheting

What makes her a catch: She makes friends laugh until they have stomach pains.

> 6:30 P.M. PREZZA, BOSTON

> ANCHORS AWEIGH

Padraig I did some housework and then watched college football.

Mackenzie My friends came over and helped do my hair and makeup. They were as nervous as I was, which I found funny!

Padraig When I got to the restaurant I chatted with the hostess. Mackenzie came right up and asked about the reservation. It was easy to see that she was confident and outgoing. She was cute and athletic. A great smile!

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Mackenzie Tall, well dressed, great smile, and loved his glasses. We started talking right away, which was nice, because there was no awkward silence.

> DEEP DIVE

Padraig We covered all the need-to-know topics fairly quickly. She had moved to Boston all the way from Pennsylvania and was in law school. She was a former dancer and rugby player who wanted to get into child law.

Mackenzie He has a dry sense of humor, which I find hilarious. It’s almost condescending, in a funny way, of course. He is in the Navy and, best of all, he likes dogs.

Padraig I ordered a pasta dish and she ordered gnocchi. The food was outstanding.

Mackenzie You can always tell how a place is going to be based on the bread. . . . It was fantastic! I basically inhaled my entree and would have the creme brulee for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Padraig I felt comfortable the entire time. She was easygoing and eager to keep the conversation flowing.

Mackenzie  It got better as the night went on, after we talked about ourselves and had some things in common.

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> SINKING SENSATION

Padraig The end of dessert felt like a good stopping point. We both had plans to meet up with friends later that night.

Mackenzie It all ended rather naturally. He got the bill, we thanked the staff and got our picture taken on the way out.

Padraig It was discouraging because she was such a nice girl, but there was no chemistry between us at all.

Mackenzie It could be for a million different reasons — where we were or how we met or because of the kinds of people we are.

Padraig We said goodbye outside the restaurant and went our separate ways.

Mackenzie A hug, of course, because I’m a hugger. A kiss didn’t seem warranted.

> POST-MORTEM

Padraig / B+

Mackenzie / A

> SECOND DATE?

Padraig Probably not. Mackenzie is a rock star, but there was no romantic chemistry.

Mackenzie I’d be down to grab a beer with him or hang out! He was really nice.


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