The Dating Game by Susan Buchanan Page A

Occasional
    Interests:  Art history, restoration, fine dining,
black and white movies, squash, tennis, reading the classics.
    Further information:  I have travelled extensively in
search of various antiques on purchasing trips, including Asia, South America
and the Orient.
    Looking to meet:  A lady who wants to be treated to the
finer things in life.
    He sounded as old as he looked and forty-nine?  In his
dreams.  She wondered for how long he had been trying to pass himself off as
forty-nine.  He did sound interesting, though, but a bit too fuddy-duddy.  Her
brain couldn’t compute a squash and tennis playing antiques dealer.  Instead
she conjured up the geeky, bookish, loner, effeminate, possibly gay, antiques
dealer, which the movies often portrayed.  Ronald had snow-white hair and a
tanned complexion, with sun spots.  He was a no.
     
    Candidate Profile
    Name:  Anton Sidorov
    Age:  38
    Lives:  Stirling
    Occupation:  Research Scientist
    Qualifications:  Equivalent of MPhys in Theoretical
Physics
    Height:  6’ 3’
    Marital status:  Single
    Smoker:  No
    Interests:  Golf, tennis, movies, reading, Zorbing,
pot-holing.
    Further information:  I come from Vladivostok and have
been working as a Research Fellow in Scotland for five years.
    Looking to meet:  An intelligent, attractive lady who likes
sport and trying new activities.  She should enjoy the cinema and weekends away
exploring new places.
    Mmm.  He actually looked quite nice, now she could zoom in on
his picture.  High cheekbones, in that inimitable Slavic style, piercing blue
eyes and an indolent smile.  Much slimmer than Charlie, but not unattractive. 
He had some interesting hobbies, too, and she could always use the joke on him,
‘it’s not rocket science’ and see how it was received.  The fact he was a
research scientist didn’t intimidate her, as of course she had an engineering
degree.  She could probably hold her own and would undoubtedly find his
conversation quite stimulating.  They shared a love of cinema.  She wondered
what type of movies he liked.  Deciding that Anton definitely went in the
‘possible’ pile, Gill printed off the three profiles on her colour printer and
popped them in her briefcase.
    Good.  She’d get a chance to go through these profiles with
Debbie and gauge her friend’s reaction to them.  Gill didn’t think she was
terrible at picking potential partners, just unlucky.
    After sending a few last minute e-mails, Gill freshened up in
the toilet. Untucking her blouse, she applied some roll-on deodorant and,
standing in just her bra and trousers to allow time for the deodorant to dry,
she turned her attention to her hair.  Her hair didn’t cope well in the heat,
so she tugged a brush through it, and then applied leave-in conditioner, before
spritzing her hair with fixing spray.  A smattering of bronzer to give her a
bit of colour, since she hadn’t been on holiday yet, a slick of lip gloss and
she was ready.  Slipping on a fresh blouse, she donned a black fitted jacket,
smoothed it down and returned to her office to collect her things.
    It was just over half a mile from her office and as the
weather was fine, Gill decided to walk.  She arrived at Drummonds a few minutes
before seven.  Entering the restaurant, a staff member, dressed in a crisp
white blouse, black waistcoat and sash, greeted her.
    ‘Good evening.  Do you have a reservation?’
    ‘Yes.  It’s under the name of Orr,’ Gill replied.
    Checking the reservation book, the girl smiled and said,
    ‘You’re the first of your party to arrive.  Would the table
by the window be OK for you?’
    ‘Yes, that’s fine, thanks,’ Gill confirmed and the waitress
led her to a table, which had an excellent view over Sauchiehall St.
    Pulling out Gill’s chair for her, the waitress asked if she
would like a drink.  Gill mulled this over for a few seconds then decided she
could always leave the car where it was overnight, and get the bus