December 21st 2024.
When I first laid eyes on Andrew, my now long-term partner, I couldn't help but think, "I bet he wouldn't fancy me." We were both in our early 50s, but this was many years ago when I had just arrived in London to study English and Drama at Middlesex Uni. I vividly remember the day I saw him at the student union – he was surrounded by women, sitting there looking dark-haired and lanky. Instantly, I felt a strong pull towards him, as if he were the only person in the crowded room. But then, I noticed his good looks and immediately doubted that he would be interested in someone like me.
To my surprise, I was wrong. Just ten minutes later, his friend approached me and asked where I was from. When I told him I was from Manchester, he excitedly exclaimed, "My mate's from Manchester too!" Before I knew it, I was being introduced to the very same guy I had been eyeing since I walked into the bar. We hit it off immediately and when Andrew asked if I wanted to see him again, I didn't hesitate to say yes.
Our first date came quickly. We had planned to meet outside a pub in Wood Green and from there, Andrew suggested we take the Tube to Kings Cross. He had a cool idea to go to the Scala cinema, a trendy, members-only theater known for its unique movie selections and resident cat. As someone new to London, I was thrilled and couldn't wait for our date.
As we arrived at the cinema, I was excited to see what "arthouse classic" Andrew had chosen for us to watch. As an indie film lover, I was eager to impress him with my taste. Little did I know, the movie he had picked was a French film and I was feeling quite sophisticated as we took our seats. However, things took a turn for the weird as the characters in the movie transformed into sex-crazed lunatics. I remember a scene with a gorilla ejaculating and a woman pleasuring herself on a bedpost. It was far from what I had expected and definitely not the "classy" movie I thought we would be watching.
Despite the unexpected turn of events, I was still enjoying myself and trying my best to impress Andrew by not needing the subtitles for the French dialogue. It wasn't until later that I realized the majority of the audience consisted of single, middle-aged men in long coats with questionable expressions. It finally dawned on me that we were watching erotica, not an arthouse classic. However, it didn't faze me and I could see the confusion and mortification on Andrew's face as he realized his mistake.
After the movie, we went for a drink and Andrew apologized profusely. We even looked up the movie in Time Out to find out more about it. It turns out, La Bête was indeed an arthouse classic from the 70s, but also an "erotic horror" film. Despite the awkwardness of our first date, it didn't put me off and we continued to see each other, laughing about our disastrous movie choice.
Months into our relationship, we could appreciate the infamously bizarre scenes in the movie, but it was definitely not the best choice for a first date. However, it ended up being a funny memory that we still laugh about to this day. Andrew still can't believe that I didn't run away after such a strange and shady beginning to our relationship. But as they say, love knows no bounds and thirty years and three children later, we are still going strong.
Do you have a funny or cringe-worthy first date story? Share it with us by emailing jess.email and join the conversation in the comments below. And don't forget to sign up for The Hook-Up, Metro's sex and dating newsletter, for juicy stories and tips to spice up your love life. We can't wait to have you join us!
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