Stay Tuned for an Evening of Really Tough Competition
Theme music up, roll opening credits.) Welcome to ABC’s Saturday Night Singles--singles action at its finest. (Pan lounge and bar.)
Tonight we’re in the lounge of Bobby McGee’s near the water in beautiful Newport Beach, one of the venerable venues for singles matches in Southern California. With us for the pre-game show is Jim Shoemaker, executive manager of Bobby McGee’s. What should we be expecting tonight, Jim?
“We open at 5 o’clock. You’ll see virtually nothing until 9 o’clock. Everybody that’s in the lounge before then is usually waiting for dinner. There’ll be a few people come in before then who want to get a good spot. Then between 9 and 10 o’clock it’s like somebody broke the dam. It can fill up as fast as 20 or 30 minutes.”
What about the floor, Jim? It’s not laid out in the typical circular pattern to promote circulation. It’s just one long aisle.
“Yes, it’s an alley. You walk in and have to walk back pretty much the same way you came in. They usually stop next to the deejay booth and scratch their heads and say, ‘Where do I go from here?’ ”
It’s like coming down a runway.
“Right. That’s exactly what it is.”
Well, we’re beginning to get a little action down on the floor, so let’s go there for a report.
The crowd’s still sparse, but things are beginning to pick up a little. The most promising prospect so far seems to be a newcomer. He’s in his late 30s or early 40s, longish curly blond hair, nicely tanned and in a stylishly baggy linen suit. He’s been sizing up two Asian women sitting way back in the corner.
OK, he’s positioning himself. Yes, he’s going to make an approach. He’s ready, and here comes the first serve:
You guys have friends here tonight?
Oh, a straight, cannonball serve! No English on that one. It’s so close to the line, we can’t tell yet whether it’s in. They’re smiling, though. OK, he’s setting up for another. Here it comes:
You guys look just like sisters.
Oh no, that one went way wide! That may have cost him the match. Yes, they’re fending him off. It’s all over.
While we wait for the next match, I have here veteran bartender Tony Zellmer, who’s 32 but looks much younger. Tony, there appears to be a lot of different styles down there tonight. Some people are circulating, and some are just standing on the sidelines.
“Exactly. Some people just kind of stake out their territory and they’ll sit there all night, and if someone approaches them, they’ll speak with them, be it male or female. They’re just immobile.
“Others can’t stand it. They don’t want to sit down. They want to maintain their mobility and just be cruising all around. Maybe there’s something going on down there, so they keep walking back and forth checking out what’s going on.”
Which ones are most successful?
“I don’t know. Sometimes the guy who’s going up and down the place may be doing nothing but laps and he may not talk to anyone all night long. The guy who stands there, there may be something about him that’s peculiar or of interest to other people, and they will come to him and start talking to him. You know: ‘Hey, nice tie. Where’d you get that?’ or ‘I notice by your shoes you’re from England’ or something, you know?”
I can see from here the action is picking up. It’s hard to move in here now. Very crowded, and the eye contact is as intense as I’ve ever seen. One of the Asian women is dancing with a man who just arrived, a competitor with classic style--a close-cut beard, an open silk shirt, a gold chain necklace and, wait a minute . . . yes, it looks like an Aries medallion. He’s wearing a medallion. I can see it plainly.
Mr. Curly Blond has been dancing with a blonde, and she’s inviting him back to her table. This could be it. They’re heading toward the south end of the room and, oh no, she has a girlfriend with her! This could be a problem. Yes, it looks like he’s getting ready to leave.
Well, it’s all over down here. He just now got into his BMW and left. I have Tony Zellmer here. Tony, can’t you tell who has a chance here?
“Well, a good-looking lady comes in, you know, she’s very attractive, and some nice guy in a three-piece suit and expensive jewelry will go up there and try to get acquainted and she’ll just shine him off. And at the end of the night you say, ‘Look, she’s going out to breakfast, and look who she’s going out with--the guy in the rugby shirt.’
“There’s just no predicting it, you know?”