Experiments in improvisational love

Editor’s Note: This installment of The Pitt News Blind Date Contest ran into an… Editor’s Note: This installment of The Pitt News Blind Date Contest ran into an unforeseeable hitch. After first contacting the female entrant, the A’E editors couldn’t find the male half to the Blind Date equation. Reasons for this included: Not being able to get in touch with the first choice after numerous calls and e-mails; other winners claiming their entry forms were as a joke by their friends; an entrant saying he had other plans; and two entries proving, frankly, unbelievably frightening.

As a result of this unprecedented turn of events — and to be fair to the spirit of the contest and the one person who could actually be reached — the A’E editor stepped in for the guys who didn’t want to, or were unable to, go.

A cynic about love. A bubbly gal not worried about finding her prince … yet. These two descriptions could only mean one thing — the time has come for another round of the Blind Date Contest.

What do you do when the male contestants for the blind date to see Robert Schimmel at the Improv turn out to be fake, have a scheduling conflict, are unable to be reached or are simply a joke? You get A’E Editor Dante A. Ciampaglia to be a good sport and go on the date himself.

On the evening of Valentine’s Day, junior Becki Shucosky arrived with a gleaming smile on her face and an Incredible Hulk valentine in her hand for her date. While the circumstances with the men were explained to her before the two left for the Improv, Shucosky was not offended.

“Obviously, they don’t know me. If they did, all the guys would have wanted to go out with me,” Shucosky said.

While she may have seemed forward in the beginning of the date, Shucosky is merely someone who knows what she wants in life, a quality that seemed to be the major similarity between her and Ciampaglia. Another is that both have their fingers in the communications pie. Ciampaglia works for The Pitt News, and Shucosky works for WPTS.

However, when Shucosky spoke of her dream to work as a coroner, her bluntness stunned us all — I would not have expected the sweet brunette to work with dead people. But then again, no one expected me to somehow have stayed silent for several consecutive minutes on a date.

But that’s exactly what my date — Sports Editor Joe Marchilena — and I did. We stayed quiet in Ciampaglia’s back seat, making sure to soak in every word of their conversation.

“Reporters should follow me around all the time to record my hilariousness,” Shucosky said.

Meanwhile, I happened to look out my back seat window to observe deer having sex. Not only was I tail-dating on someone else’s date, but I also had to watch two deer make sweet love. I want to say there was a third deer in the mix, but I’m not sure. But they must have known what day it was — either that, or they were just doing the nasty to give the opening comedian some material, seeing how he mentioned the same occurrence in his act.

When we arrived at the Improv, the four of us were treated to an exquisite dinner that was topped off with chocolate mousse cups for dessert. The conversation was lively. There was always laughter — especially when Schimmel told a joke about body parts and birthday cake — and only a few awkward silences.

The night turned more serious after the comedy show ended, though, and the four of us went back to unwind at my place. The conversation turned into questioning how each felt about relationships. Always a good sign — at least better than the signs I’ve gotten on any date I’ve been on before.

Though there may have been a few sparks, Ciampaglia and Shucosky never spoon-fed each other their chocolate mousse. But they didn’t throw it at each other, either. Another good sign.

By 2 a.m., tiredness set in, and phone numbers were exchanged. And although there was no lip action involved with the blind date couple, we can all rest assured that at least the deer got some.