"...Well where do I start... Going back some time now I attended an over 30's Hindu speed date night at Opium bar in November 2003. I remember the night vividly, 24th or 25th November 2003. I came to the event with a friend of mine and we waited patiently in the registration queue. My friend pushed in front of me and as fate would have it, I was assigned number 47. The place was alive with excited chatter and nervousness. I think for most it was a first time experience. It was my 2nd.
A warm up comedian came on to lighten everyone's mood before the evening's festivities began. I sat down in front of Sheila, she was also number 47. Due to the seat being disproportionate to the table, I basically looked really short. And the first thing Sheila ever said to me was "You're a bit short aren't you?" I explained about the chair, and we laughed it off.
Let the speed dating begin... So Sheila was my first date on that night, now you're given 3 minutes, Dong goes the bell.. Time to move on.. I made my way round through the night but the only name that stuck in my head was Sheila, I just felt connected to her.
Speed dating over.... I handed my sheet in, obviously Sheila had been ticked and I am sure she had ticked me too. I was just standing after the event near the bar and She approached me, we started our banter where we had left off. And then she asked the question which probably changed my life.. 'So when are you taking me out?' 'when you give me your phone number' I replied. So we exchanged numbers and I suppose that's when the real romance began. I even called her on the way home!!! The next day I spent 4 hours on the phone with her. So we started dating and it was like bringing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together, we just fit. Love ensued quickly after.
Forward now to February 12th 2005..I proposed on this day on national TV on the Ant and Dec Saturday night takeaway by jumping out of a cake, almost naked. You can watch the video on the following link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omZ1TdvFsT0 And she did say yes...
We married in October 2005, bought a house together in 2006 and our son, Eashan was born on 13th March 2008. He is just over a year old now and really is the light in our lives. I would like to thank you for everything that has happened. If it wasn't for you I would not have met Sheila, I would not be as happy as I am today. And we would not have Eashan. And if Sheila ever reads this I just want to say 'I love you'..."
"...I hit it off with one girl during my speed date and we have been going out since then, and I'm surprised at how quickly it's all happened. My friends all want to go speed dating now!..." "R"
"....I've got 2 dates over the next week...it's quite a laugh just meeting up afterwards and talking about the evening..." "S"