Virtual Date - Episode 1
by Cade Scott
Welcome to the Virtual Dating App šŸ™‚
Umā€¦Hello?
Iā€™m not sure what to doā€¦my friend said I should download this and give it a try.
She supposedly found her perfect match with this app šŸ™„
And youā€™ll be next! ā¤ļø
Uh huhā€¦so, how do I start?
Just tell me what you look for in a guy.
Well, not crazy, for one.
Searchingā€¦Searchingā€¦Searchingā€¦
I found 1,094,453 non-crazy men for you.
How did you do that?
Waitā€¦there are less than 2 million non-crazy men in the world? Out of billions? šŸ˜’
Would you like to refine your search?
YES!
What else do you look for?
Umā€¦Itā€™s better if heā€™s athletic.
Athletic. Got it. Iā€™ll enter it into the dataset.
Wait! But not in a ā€œdumb jockā€ kind of way.
Refining search to find an athletic, but sensitive guyā€¦
I guess sensitive is a good way to put it.
I found 102,345 men matching your criteria.
How in the world do I choose one from that big of a pool?
Here. Iā€™ll help you refine it even more.
Iā€™ll search for men only in a 25 mile radius and who are a couple years older or younger than you.
I think Iā€™ve found your match šŸ˜
Really?
Yes. His name is Ross and he plays football for Cal Tech. Hereā€™s a picture of him.
Wow. Mr. Muscles.
By searching his Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, I see he enjoys walking on the beach at sunset and taking his mother out for dinner.
Iā€™m sold! What happens now?
You go on a virtual date šŸ‘«
Does that mean Iā€™ll actually talk to him? šŸ˜¬
Not the real him.
Just a virtual version of him that I create based on what Iā€™ve gathered from the internet.
If you like the projection, then Iā€™ll put you two in contact.
Creepyā€¦but okay, Iā€™m ready. I think.
You have your virtual glasses?
Yep.
Put them on and Iā€™ll do the rest! At any point, you can say ā€œstop date.ā€
That will end the simulation before the time is up.
Got it.
Initializing virtual dateā€¦Creating environmentā€¦
Zoey finds herself on a beautiful beach.
Um. Hello.
Hi Zoey.
This is bizarre. You look SO real.
I am real. Itā€™s just you and me enjoying the gorgeous sunset on this enchanting night.
Are you ā€” oh myā€¦youā€™re cryingā€¦
I just shed a tear every timeā€”
Ross chokes up.
Sorryā€¦every time I see the sun leave us.
And with you, so elegant, so intoxicatingā€”
Whoa now. This is not what I had in mind.
Whatā€™s that, my dearest?
Oh boy. STOP DATE! Stop please!
Zoey looks around.
Sheā€™s back in her dorm room.
Everythingā€™s in its usual place, like she never left.
Did you not like your date?
Nope. He started crying for no reason.
Iā€™m sorry you had an unpleasant experience. Would you like to try again?
Sure. As long as you promise the next one will be better.
I added a new filter to remove candidates who are ā€œtoo sensitive.ā€
Is there any other attribute you would like to add?
I love music. Any musicians out there?
Searchingā€¦Searchingā€¦
Maybe someone with deep lyrics. Like a cross between Ryan Bingham and Nick Jonas.
Searching indie pop musiciansā€¦
I think I found you the perfect one this time šŸ˜Ž
His name is Jayden and he is an up-and-coming artist. Heā€™s performing around the nation.
Not sure how I feel about someone who travels all the time.
Hereā€™s a picture.
Oh myā€¦nice tattoos šŸ˜
Would you like to go on a virtual date?
Why not? Iā€™ll give it a try.
Initializing virtual dateā€¦Creating environmentā€¦
Zoey finds herself in a trendy night club.
You must be Jayden.
Thatā€™s me.
So youā€™re a musician, huh?
Yep.
What?! Sorry. This club is really loud.
I said YEP.
What kind of music do you write?
What do you mean?
Huh? Sorry, canā€™t hearā€¦
WHY DID YOU ASK ME THAT?
I donā€™t knowā€¦Just making conversation.
You saying youā€™ve never heard of me?
Canā€™t say that I have.
Youā€™re kidding, right? Do you even listen to music?
I love music!
You sure about that?
Geez. STOP date!
Welcome back, Zoey.
Can we filter out arrogant this time?
So, you do not like Jayden?
I donā€™t think we mesh. Although if he needs a pairing, I know the perfect person.
Who? I always take suggestions.
Himself.
That option is not available at the moment.
It was a joke ā€” oh, never mind.
Would you like to try again?
Ughā€¦okay. One more time.
Anything else you would like me to search for?
Someone who listens well. Who isnā€™t caught up in himself.
Okay. Iā€™ve got it this time. I promise.
Who?
Don Miller. He is your age and goes to the same college.
Yeahā€¦I know him. And I can tell you nowā€¦
Donā€™t waste a virtual date. Itā€™s a no.
Should I filter out people you know then?
Yes and ex-boyfriends.
Adding your new criteria.
Okay. Iā€™ve got it now.
Who is it?
Willian Sheffield. Honors student. Athlete. Also a Cal Tech student.
I think youā€™ll really like him.
Picture?
Here you go.
Cute. Okay. Letā€™s get this over with.
Initializing dateā€¦Creating environmentā€¦
Zoey finds herself on a bench on the Cal Tech campus.
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you as well.
I canā€™t believe weā€™ve never run into each other on campus.
Itā€™s a big campus.
I know, but we both know Kari and Rachel and Steve.
No way! Really?!
Yes! Iā€™m sure weā€™ve seen each other in passing.
Probably hung out together without knowing.
You look beautiful. Hope saying that doesnā€™t make things weird.
Thank you. It doesnā€™t.
Iā€™d love to take you on a real date some time.
That would be fine with me only ifā€¦
Yes?
Youā€™re not crazy, arrogant, or too sensitive.
Will laughs.
I donā€™t think I am, but Iā€™ll let you be the judge.
Then Iā€™d love to go on a date with you.
Suddenly, Zoey finds herself back in her dorm room.
This ends the virtual date.
What?! No! It was going so well.
Iā€™m glad to hear that šŸ™‚
It usually takes a few tries. Weā€™re working out the kinks.
Would you like to be connected with Will?
YES! Please!
Here is his information and contact infoā€¦
Waitā€¦whoā€™s that in his profile picture?
Marie Steadwell.
Who is that?
His girlfriend.
You hooked me up with somebody thatā€™s already TAKEN?!
You didnā€™t filter out ā€œin a relationship.ā€
UGH! Iā€™M SO DONE WITH THIS APP.
Iā€™m sorry your experienceā€”
Zoey deletes the Virtual Dating App.
Iā€™ll try my luck in the real worldā€¦
App