From Plus One to Zero at an Awkward Dinner Party Date

When Polly goes on and on about Toby's previous boyfriends, all of them beautiful demigods who adored Polly and would probably have turned straight for had she asked, I should defend myself, or step up my patter in an attempt to impress her. But I don't care what she thinks, so I nod politely and play with my napkin.

"I'm going to a friend's for dinner on Friday. Come."

I should say "No thank you, Toby; it's only our second date". I don't.

"Is there anything you don't eat?"

I should tell him about my phobia of celeriac and meringues. I don't.

When I ask "What shall I bring?" and he replies "Nothing, just yourself!" I should listen, but I don't.

When Toby spies the prosecco I'm clutching to my chest as we arrive and tells me "You can't bring that; they're teetotal and Polly won't have it in the house" I should hang on to it, but I don't. I leave it by the doorstep.

Polly answers the door and eyes me with the same suspicion a white carpet would afford a dog with diarrhoea. I should scowl back. I don't.

When Polly's boyfriend Max sloshes elderflower cordial into my wine glass, I shouldn't quip that it's a waste of a perfectly good glass, but I do. Max shouldn't laugh and wink conspiratorially. But he does.

As Polly serves up every food I've ever hated in my life, with the icy glare of a serial killer, I should politely decline the offer of pudding, despite eating nothing of the main course. But I don't.

When Polly goes on and on about Toby's previous boyfriends, all of them beautiful demigods who adored Polly and would probably have turned straight for had she asked, I should defend myself, or step up my patter in an attempt to impress her. But I don't care what she thinks, so I nod politely and play with my napkin.

As I laugh uproariously at one of Max's jokes and see, out of the corner of my eye, Toby's face fall, I should tone it down and pay more attention to the date who's barely said a word to me all night. But I can't. Why get out of Max's limousine of a conversation to clamber into Toby and Polly's knackered old Nissan Micra chit-chat?

When Max and I are stacking the dishwasher and he confesses to me he's bored rigid living with Polly, I should act surprised and encourage them to stay together. But I'm not, so I don't.

Usually when a man tells you his problems, he's hoping you'll solve them, so perhaps I should pretend we're in a film and put my hand on his leg and stroke my mouth suggestively. But I don't want to turn a horrendous evening into an apocalyptic one, so may hands stay where they are.

When I walk back into the lounge, it is obvious I have been getting an absolute skewering from Polly, as her and Toby redden immediately. I can see Toby running back to one of those holy exes within a month - Polly wouldn't have it any other way.

When it's time to leave and Max says he's looking forward to seeing Toby and me again really soon, I should tell him that's extremely unlikely, but I don't.

When Toby makes it clear he's going straight home and says he'll call me, I should feel sorry and protest a little, but I don't. Instead I proffer my cheek and he pecks it politely, begrudgingly, finally.

Perhaps I should feel sad that I'll never see Toby again, but I do not - I feel a rush of relief or elation. The regret may come later, but it will be brief and I'll have probably have somebody else close to hand to take my mind off it.

I shouldn't pick up that abandoned bottle of prosecco from the doorstep and drink it on the bus on the way home. But I do. And that turns out to be the best part of the evening.

Stats: 32, 5'9", auburn/blue, Newcastle

Pre-date rating: 8/10

Post-date rating: 3.5/10 - that score's for me, really, isn't it?

A truncated version of this post originally appeared in the monthly dating column I used to do in Gay Times magazine. I now answer GT readers' dilemmas and dole out relationship advice. Take a look at the Gay Times website to see when the next issue is out.

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