Getting Mugged Put a Damper on Date No. 1

Happily, it’s not every day that a couple gets robbed on their first date, but that’s exactly what happened to these two! Here’s how Sue and Nicholas met on our site and started a relationship that has all the promise in the world, despite the misfortune of being mugged. “This was not my first experience with online dating,” Sue tells us. She signed up because she “needed to meet someone serious about love.” Fortunately, there are a lot of people like that on our site.

“It was not my first experience, either,” says Nicholas. “I was looking for my soul mate and love companion.” Asked if they felt confident they’d meet someone special, Sue admits, “I had no confidence at all” and Nicholas says, “Not much confidence, really.”

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It took Nicholas two years to meet Sue, who at that stage had been with us a year herself. She made the first move, sending him a Flirt (the “Cup of Coffee”). Nicholas’ write-up had sparked her interest. “On his profile, Nick said he would like to learn about different cultures, and that is what caught my eye.” After receiving the Flirt, Nicholas checked out Sue’s profile. “Her beautiful profile pictures caught my interest,” he informs us.

From there the chemistry began to crackle. “Nick start sending messages, and I gave my personal number, and we chatted for six months before our first date.” What convinced them they were ready to take that step? “After chatting for a while, we felt comfortable with each other,” says Sue. Nicholas nods. “I found it so easy to chat with her that, after six months of daily conversation, I decided to invite Sue out.”

She picks up the story there. “Nick came to pick me up for our date, as I was new in Johannesburg, and he wanted to show me around.” Nicholas adds that “Our date included a little tourist trip to the highest building in Africa!”

Sue’s initial impression was that “he looked handsome, and had manners.” Nicholas thought that “she was very attractive, pleasant to chat with, and I felt very comfortable with her. There was a lot about Sue I liked. Her profile did not do her justice, as she was far better in person. Sue is better than my ‘type’ before meeting her.”

Here’s where the date took that dark turn we mentioned at the top. Sue complains that “our first date finished before it even really started, as unfortunately we got mugged in town!” Nicholas nods ruefully. “Yep, as far as first dates go, I have had better. Things were going well until someone decided to ask for our money and cell phones.”

Understandably, the experience didn’t exactly impress his date. Sue confides, “I actually blocked Nick on WhatsApp as I thought, ‘Hmm, this guy got us mugged!’” Nicholas was persistent, though. “I lost Sue’s contact details on the phone, but thanks to [the site] I tracked her down.”

He definitely made it up to her. “Nick is actually very reliable,” declares Sue. “And on our second date, he invited my daughter along. I really appreciated that very much.” The relationship progressed, acquainting Sue with Nick’s other good qualities. “He is a very loving, very funny guy, and he always puts me first, so he is exactly the type of man I have always wanted to meet!” Nick has this to say about his new mate. “She is very open; sometimes too much,” he laughs. “‘Brutally honest,’ I think were her words. So that’s great, as I always know where I am with her.”

Other than getting mugged on Date No. 1, did the duo face challenges in building their connection? Absolutely. “There were parts of my culture that Nick could not deal with,” reveals Sue. “Nick also had difficulty being a father to my daughter, as he knew nothing about kids, but we made it through that. Nick and my daughter are now getting along very well! And now there are parts of my culture that he loves.”

Nicholas concurs. “The cultural differences were the biggest obstacles we had to overcome. Buddhism has helped us in that respect.”

Sue will never forget the moment it truly dawned on her that she would be willing to make a commitment to this man. “We were driving to Rosebank to watch a movie and have some supper when Nick asked me to move in.” When she realized her immediate answer was yes, she knew this relationship was special. “That was cool,” says Nicholas with a smile.

Meeting each other has accelerated their growth process as human beings. “I am a better person,” notes Sue. “I do not go to clubs just to meet strangers. I have family, and I have my best friend in Nick.” Nicholas sums it up with “Sue has made me a better man.”

It’s customary with these stories to ask the happy couple what advice they can offer singles hoping to replicate their good fortune. “Give it a go,” Sue urges folks who are on the fence about online dating. “Get to know the person before you actually meet the person! Chances are very high to meet a soulmate online.”

Nicholas is just as bullish on the potential of Internet personals, but he wants people to be selective with the sites they use. “My advice is to choose your site carefully,” he says. “If you find the right site like Sue and I did, it really is a great way to meet people. It takes away the unease of meeting someone new for the first time in a club, etc. With online dating, you can get to know the type of person they are while chatting online in a place of safety. Like Sue says, GIVE IT A GO. It works.”

Fortunately, our site is always accepting new members, if you want to “give it a go.”

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