The first “date” was more one of convenience than a real date. Galina and Richard had both been programming late and ended up sharing a pizza, cola and their likes and dislikes.

Today the database just did not want to perform and both had been optimizing queries until their eyes burned. Galina suggested take-out.

“Ugh, why don’t we go to Little Italy down the road?” he countered. “At least we’ll get away from this madhouse!”

A little while later, in a cramped booth, they huddled over their pizza while the wax encrusted candle flickered shadows on their flushed faces.

A cellphone started chirping and Richard angrily picked it up. “Sorry” he shrugged at Galina and after a short conversation put the phone down. “Damn, I have to fix this!” He pulled out his laptop, logged in and stared at the query. Galina squeezed in beside him and after a while exclaimed “There’s your problem! Your join is wrong.”

Richard, turned and with the most deadpan face and said “Inner joins are for the third date, not the second.”