Page 48 Daily Mail, Thursday, August 1, 201948 femailMAGAZINE
Honestly,
the first thing
I noticed was
his beard...
Blind date
I did
worry that
she’s out of
my league
met online. He asked if my dad
was bald. He’d studied genetics
and the baldness gene passed
down the father’s line.
I was dumbfounded. I was at
the ‘are we going to have a
dessert?’ stage and he was trying
to determine if our kids would
have receding hair.
That’s why I’ve been mainly
single for a decade, with not so
much as a snog for two-and-a-half
years. But I’ve also been focused
on my business.
Paul ticks a lot of boxes, and Iliked that he didn’t ask me too
much about my work, which
provokes a lot of curiosity that
can dominate the conversation.
But he seemed more interested
in Katherine the woman, rather
than Katherine the declutterer.
It was quite lovely being asked
about me for once.
Paul is funny and we have a
similar sense of humour. He
laughed as I talked about trying
to sort out my life with a coach.
We texted after the date andhave arranged to see each other
again before I go on holiday in a
couple of weeks. Paul was
fabulous company. He could be a
good influence on me.
LIKED: I felt so relaxed around
Paul and had a fun two hours.
REGRETS: I had to rush off. I’d
have loved to spend the afternoon
together.
COFFEE OR CAB? Coffee.VERDICT: 8/10
PAUL, 46, SAYS:
ON THe day I was nervous and
then some, because I’ve never
been on a date before. In 2019,
everyone finds this very hard to
believe, but it’s true. I’ve had
three big relationships but I met
each woman at work.
So I made sure I was waiting at
the restaurant for our lunch
date. When Katherine arrived I
was pleased, because she’s a
very attractive and nicelydressed woman. She started
chatting immediately and
didn’t stop.
This was a relief, because I’m
often the one who leads the
conversation when I’m out
with friends.
We really clicked and were
laughing and joking within
minutes. It meant we had to
send the waiter away on a few
occasions. When we did get
round to ordering a drink,
even though Katherine is
teetotal it didn’t bother her
that I had one drink.
Our conversation covered
everything: our working lives,
reasons for being single. Kather-
ine also talked about her hob-
bies. She has a variety of inter-
ests, from being in a choir to
using flotation tanks to yoga.
I’m passionate about classic
cars, and I loved that she had so
much going on outside work, too.
I thought we were very well
matched — although I have to
confess it helped that Katherine
is totally my type of woman.
I came out of a long-term rela-
tionship a year ago. My sister,
who is also single, warned me
about dating apps and websites.
She’s right because they’ve been
disastrous, and there was a part
of me that wondered if I’d missed
the boat as I’m too old for them.
All of my friends except one are
in relationships they’ve been in
since our teens. When we all go
out together, while I’m made very
welcome, I can feel like the third
wheel. When out socially I can be
very shy around women, but I’m
in the office 45 hours a week so
there isn’t much opportunity to
meet someone anywhere else.
So my friend’s wife put me
forward for this. I genuinely
thought it was a joke at first.
But I’m so glad I agreed. The
end of the date arrived in what
seemed like minutes rather than
two-and-a-half hours.
Katherine had to go to a prior
engagement, so we swapped
numbers and, within moments
of leaving, she had texted. I was
really pleased when she asked:
‘Can I see you again?’
Katherine is smart, funny, petite
and pretty — and yes, I did worry
that she’s out of my league.
I met a friend in the pub after-
wards for a de-brief, and it turned
into a celebration drink.
My first proper date honestly
couldn’t have gone better.
LIKED? We laughed and joked
straight away. We were very
well matched.
REGRETS? None.
COFFEE OR CAB? Coffee.VERDICT: 10/10
Interviews by SAMANTHA BRICKE
very week, we send a
couple out on a blind date.
This time Paul Possee, 46,
had lunch at Old Compton
Brasserie, in London’s
Soho with Katherine Blackler, 39.
Katherine is a professional declutterer and
lives in South London. Paul is a logistics
manager from Faversham, Kent.KATHERINE, 39, SAYS:
I WAS determined to arrive on time, and in
the end was just ten minutes late. That’s a
personal best for me — which probably
explains why I’m still single and have a time
management coach. I’m always overambi-
tious about packing things in to my life!
The first thing I noticed about Paul was
his beard. I’m so glad I didn’t let that put
me off, because from the moment I sat down
with him I found it so easy to be ‘me’.
I could see we’d get on. He’s very self-
deprecating and I am, too.
We were so busy chatting that our waiter
had to come back on several occasions
before he could take our order. I’m teetotal,
but told Paul I have no problem with him
ordering alcohol. He’s not a big drinker so
ordered a pale ale while I had kombucha, a
fermented tea drink.
I stopped drinking in January 2016 and
while I’m still just as sociable without it, I
like to think I’m a lot pickier when it comes
to guys. I haven’t always chosen well.
But I felt so comfortable around Paul I was
able to tell him lots of personal things —
such as how I’ve invested in a time manage-
ment coach to help get my life on track.
My coach has helped me put together a
list of things I want to find time for, and a
date was one of them. I’m not sure I would
have found diary space for a blind date if I
hadn’t committed to directing my energies
towards my love life.
In my 20s I had two long relationships.
One was with a university friend, which
fizzled out when I realised our grandparents
were probably having more sex than we
were. I then fell for an Alpha Male — and
while there was chemistry, I let myself be
moulded into someone I wasn’t. The
whole experience put me off relationships
for a while.
I really can’t believe it’s the first proper
date Paul has ever been on, despite having
several relationships. It’s a brave thing to
do. I’ve been on too many to mention.
One chap I’d gone for drinks with told me
after five minutes not to bother ordering a
round as we weren’t going anywhere. But
the most memorable was with someone I’dWOULD YOU LIKE US TO FIND YOU A DATE?
ARE you a singleton, or is there someone you'd like to
send on a blind date? Email: [email protected]TOP DATING TIPS
IT'S tempting to dismiss friends when they
suggest a blind date. Don't. Be open to it.
l Do not be influenced by physical first
impressions and write someone off.
l Humour is the oxygen of all
blind dates.
l If you DO want to find
love again, carve out
time to date — or
you will never
meet The
One.IT’S A
MATCH!
Pictures: MIKE LAWN / PAUL WEBB