I Had A First Date in Utrecht.
An Actual Conversation from Dinner 115 of The Last Supper Project
WE ARE USHERED BY A VERY ITALIAN-LOOKING WAITER IN HIS MID-FIFTIES TO TABLE NUMBER 54, RIGHT BY THE CANAL WHERE THE GEESE ROAM, READY TO BE FED. MY DATE PROCEEDS TO PULL BACK MY DESIGNATED WICKER CHAIR. ALAS, CHIVALRY IS NOT ENTIRELY DEAD. LIKE A RECOVERING TOURETTE’S PATIENT, I ASK FOR AN APEROL SPRITZ. MY DATE CHUCKLES WITH AN ENDEARING GLIMMER IN HIS EYE. WE EASE INTO CONVERSATION AFTER COMPLETING OUR ORDER, BOTH ACHING TO KNOW WHAT COMES NEXT. I GOT LOST IN HIS BLUE EYES—THE DOCTOR’S.
Me: It was you who slid into my DMs, right?
Utrecht Doctor: Well, I guess I thought it was really beautiful how you opened up. And I wanted to connect.
Me: You mean fuck?
Utrecht Doctor: [SMILES AND TURNS DUTCH PINK] Ummmm…
Me: I’m just pulling your leg. Don’t worry.
Utrecht Doctor: It’s fine. You’re allowed to. But that wasn’t my initial plan, of course. But... it seems our conversation unfolded that way.
Me: True. And I thought it was super cool that you’d been to Ghana for medical research. And… congrats on graduating last week!
Utrecht Doctor: Yeah, thanks. It sort of makes everything feel more real now that I’m officially able to practice. Of course, I still have to specialise—but it feels amazing to be past that first hurdle.
Me: I can imagine. Cheers to that.
Utrecht Doctor: Yes, cheers. [ABIDING BY THE GOLDEN RULE OF KEEPING EYE CONTACT AS OUR GLASSES TOUCH ]
Me: What do you think you’ll specialise in?
Utrecht Doctor: Well, my main interest is gynaecology. That was the focus of my research at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.
Me: Oh, amazing. That’s unexpected but such a stunning coincidence. One of my friends in Berlin has to choose between becoming the CEO of a fem-tech startup or heading back to Cape Town to keep practising as a gynaecologist.
Utrecht Doctor: Oh, Cape Town. I actually want to do my second master’s in South Africa…
Me: Oh! Wits!? Wits University?
Utrecht Doctor: Yes, lol. You guessed correctly. But Joseph—enough about me.
Me: [I INTERJECT] Okay, last question. Are you learning Afrikaans?
Utrecht Doctor: Hahahaha… actually, I’m more interested in learning Xhosa and isiZulu.
Me: Ah! Super cool.
Utrecht Doctor: Okay… my turn to ask the questions now… okay?
Me: Sure… shoot.
Utrecht Doctor: [REACHING OUT HIS HAND ACROSS THE TABLE TO PLACE IT ON TOP OF MINE] Okay… are you ready?
Me: Yes.
Utrecht Doctor: What does home mean to you?