"Hello?" said thirty-nine-year-old Donna Braithwaite, as she answered her landline phone to a number that she did not recognise.
"Hello, is that Susan?" said the male voice on the other end.
"No, sorry, I think you have the wrong number," said Donna.
"Oh, that is a shame, you sound so nice," said the man.
"Ha, thank you, but I expect Susan sounds nice too," said Donna, who was single.
"I wouldn't know, I was given her number to ring about a blind date, it seems I have got it written down wrongly," said the man.
"What number do you have written down?" said Donna.
The man read out the number that he had, and it was Donna's number.
"Well, you dialled the number that you were given, but there is no Susan here," said Donna.
"I was given that number by a woman who is supposedly a mutual friend, there must be a digit wrong somewhere; so sorry to have troubled you," said the man.
"No trouble, nice talking to you," said Donna, who did not really want him to go. She knew absolutely nothing about him, but she wanted to keep him on the line.
"Nice talking to you too; can I ask your name?" said the man.
"Um, it is Donna," replied Donna, after thinking for a moment whether she should give this complete stranger her name.
"Hello Donna, I am Chris," said the man.
"Hello Chris," said Donna, feeling a bit sexually aroused, but thinking that she was being silly.
They were both wanting to continue the conversation, but neither wanted to say anything that would ruin it.
"Maybe I should get the right number for Susan from the mutual friend that she and I have," said Chris.
"Yes, but your call has brightened my day," said Donna.
"Really? You do not sound like a lady whose day needs brightening," said Chris.
"Well, it did, so thank you for calling me, even if you did not intend to," said Donna.
"Don't go, please; unless you have to," said Chris, wanting to know much more about the sexy-sounding Donna.
Chris Rose was aged thirty-five, and also single, hence his quest for a blind date.
"I don't have to; this is a bit weird," said Donna.
"Weird? How?" replied Chris.
"Well, you rang this number trying to get a blind date with someone called Susan, and we are, um, well,...," said Donna, conscious of the danger of saying too much, or being presumptive.
"Yes, it is a bit weird; can I ask you if you are married?" continued Chris.
"I am not married, have been, but not now," answered Donna.
"Um, I am technically still married, but long-time separated," said Chris.
"Ha, it sounds like we are talking to a dating agency," chuckled Donna.
"I have tried that, but it didn't really work for me," said Chris.
"Sorry to hear that; I have never used a dating agency, but I have thought about it," said Donna.
"Please don't think it is because I look like Quasimodo or anything, it is just that it did not work with the ladies that I did meet," said Chris.
"I understand; how old are you, Chris?" said Donna.
"I am thirty-five," replied Chris.
"Oh, a younger man, I am thirty-nine," laughed Donna.
"Donna, if I asked if you would like to meet me, what would you say?" asked Chris.
"If you asked me that, I would probably say yes," replied Donna.
"Wonderful, when? where?" responded Chris, who knew from the STD code that Donna was local to him, as was Susan.
"You haven't asked me out yet," giggled Donna.
"Donna, would you like to meet me, please?" asked Chris.
"Yes, Chris, I would," replied Donna.
"Great, so when and where?" said Chris.
"Tomorrow, if you can," replied Donna.
"Yes, yes; do you want to go for a drink or coffee, or what?" asked a thrilled Chris.
"A drink would be nice, um, what pub?" said Donna.
"How about the bar at the Bull Hotel?" asked Chris.
"That would be fine, what time?" responded Donna. The Bull was a quite upmarket hotel, not top of the range, but quite good.
"Um, seven? Do you want me to pick you up or shall we meet there?" said Chris, who had supposed to be having a conversation like this with Susan.
"Meet there if that is okay; I will be driving so only on soft drinks, but we can get to know each other," said Donna.
"Yes, I will drive too, see you tomorrow," said Chris.
"Looking forward to it," said Donna, who had not been out with a man for about a month. She had been divorced for four years and although she had dated a bit, and sometimes had sex, she had not had anything serious.
She was an attractive woman, slightly overweight but not fat, a lot of her weight was in her breasts and her backside.
Chris had been separated for two years, and there was no chance of a reconciliation, his wife had moved in with a bloke that she worked with. He had met some women in those two years, two of whom he went to bed with, but had not met anyone whom he wanted a long-term relationship with. He was not a bad-looking man.
Chris now had the problem of contacting Susan, once he got her correct phone number, because she was no doubt expecting to hear from him. He called the mutual friend to recheck Susan's number, and he had written it down one digit incorrectly. He thought he should phone her, there was no reason why he could not meet her, but it could not be the next day.
Chris did phone her, but Susan made it clear that their mutual friend was pushing her into meeting Chris, so they left it that they would forget about it for now, at least.
Chris could now concentrate on Donna, for one evening at least. After work, he got himself ready, dressing in what he considered to be smart casual. He realised that he did not know what Donna looked like, but did not think that there would be many females on their own in The Bull bar at seven on a Thursday evening.
Donna was excited and nervous, she knew that Chris did not look like Quasimodo, but she did not know what he did look like. Looks in a man were not everything with Donna, anyway.
Chris arrived at the bar about ten minutes early and got himself a shandy. There was one female there who appeared to be on her own, but unless Donna had misled him about her age, she was not Donna, as she must have been in her sixties.
Donna arrived in the hotel car park only a couple of minutes after Chris had done so, but sat in her car for about five minutes before heading for the hotel bar. She had dressed in a cream trouser suit and a green blouse. She wore black knickers and a bra, but she did not really intend for Chris to see them on a first date.
She took a deep breath and entered the bar. Chris had been watching the entrance and when this gorgeous-looking woman entered, he thought she must be with someone, but her eyes scanned the bar, so maybe she was Donna.
Chris stood up and gave a nervous wave, the woman smiled and approached him.
"Donna?" said Chris, hardly believing his luck.
"I hope so," smiled Donna, holding out her hand for Chris to shake.
"So pleased to meet you," said Chris.
"Pleased to meet you too," said Donna, thinking that Chris exceeded her expectations.
"Can I get you a drink?" asked Chris.
"An orange please, driving," smiled Donna, and what a smile.
"Me too, this is just shandy," said Chris, indicating his drink.
"Please sit down," said Chris, holding the chair for Donna, who put her sizeable arse in it.
Chris went to the bar and bought Donna's drink.
They sat opposite each other and chatted, both of them a bit nervous, and both of them impressed with their date.
They talked about their work, and their interests, then the talk got onto relationships.
"You said on the phone that you are separated," said Donna.
"Yes, two years now; she went off with a bloke that she worked with," replied Chris, slightly bitterly, because it still hurt.
"I have been divorced for four years, he fucked one woman too many," said Donna, then felt embarrassed. "Sorry about the language," said Donna, sheepishly.
"The language is fine; he was a silly man," responded Chris, looking into Donna's brown eyes.
"Thanks, on both counts," replied Donna.