Cut to the chase

Speed dating: When you hear the whistle, your date is over( no matter how cute they are!) After you meet each of them, look at the name tag for their number find it and circle yes or no, make notes!
$35 bucks for twelve, four minute dates, with cheap cocktails! What a deal...

Welcome
A trendy pub in fremont. Everyone looks a little nervous, eyes are studiously averted. My purple shoes with four inch heels and rhinestone buckles provide me some solace, but not much.
Hello!
pink chocolate lips, red chandelier earrings, tanned and toned arms in a white tank greet me.
Did you girls sign up?
What's your name?
Oh I see it, here, you are number 8.

Lets get started
So, the girls sit at 2' by 2' cheap Formica tables and the other chair facing is open .. The music is loud, the light is dim and the cocktails are flowing. A mango comso later, everything seems a little funny.
The host explains. The girls pitch in a tent and stay while the guys move around. Counter clockwise. 11 girls, 12 guys, one guy gets a timeout every round.

The merry-go round
The first one...
Hi! I am number 28.
OMG! he is so young, I could burp him, giving him a bath and put him to bed. Gulp down my cosmo, when "what do you do?"
In a couple minutes, I am giving him career advice, telling him he should not be dishearted because some idiot told him that he doesn't have the right degree. We don't even notice the whistle. And suddenly, I have a new friend, we exchange smiles.

After that it takes off, the smile comes easily, the chatter too. The handshakes limp, clammy, nice grip, firm shake, over powering, too tight... They tell me how my next four minutes are going to be.

And the questions:
Give me a two min bio? ( hello, I did not know I signed up for an interview)
Tell me about yourself? (um, I have strong opinions?)
What do you do? (I run)
What do you do for fun? ( I paint)
Where do you work? ( a local software company)
What do you paint? ( lanscapes in oil)
What is so special about Indian guys? (umm, nothing?)
Would you go up to a guy and start a conversation if you like him? ( yes.)
Let me guess, you are from India, I went to India a couple months ago, why are you here and not back there? ( I don't know?)
How many languages do you speak? ( four)
What is the last book you read? (:) , nice question)
You have a HOUSE?( I am sorry!)
Do you like your job?( I love it)
What did you expect out of this? (maybe, I'll make a few friends ?)
What do you think of the Seattle dating scene? ( Gulp! is there one?)

Not a single compliment! not a single, 'you look pretty'. Guys are such dorks!

The guys:
Four Microsofties, one from amazon, one from cingular, one Phd ( maths and CS), one journalist from Seattle times, one highSchool teacher, one bankteller and one New yorker and one buff ex-Airforce pilot. Not bad.

Damn I am picky, even with a 4 min screen only 3 out of 12 for coffee( no drinks or dinner)... And they were a great lot, not a single jerk.
Although there was one, who was cute and smart and caught my eye... and I definitely know that he interests me cause I though, gosh! he left my table so fast. Just as I was leaving the bar, the dude comes running... "I can look you up, would you mind if I emailed you?"
:)