In about 1978 or 1979, a married friend decided to try his hand at matchmaking.  He invited me to dinner "to make up a four," as he put it.  He added "we'll play a few hands of bridge afterwards."

Well, I shall never forget that evening, for two reasons.

Firstly, the girl that my friend had paired me up with worked for the Bank of England.  That was fine, but everything she said seemed to contain a reference to the Bank of England.  Everything.  Finally, driven beyond the bounds of usual politeness, I remarked that there was a world outside of the Bank of England.  There was a pregnant pause.  Then she said "well, the Bank does organise holidays abroad for its employees......."

Secondly, I flopped at the bridge.  At that time, I knew how to play whist and solo, and I assumed that I would be able to pick up bridge after a couple of hands.  How wrong could I be?  In no time at all I showed myself up as a complete novice, and we soon abandoned the game.

I never saw the girl again, but I became addicted to bridge.