by Jack Swenson
And then she saw him. He stood there in the doorway, waiting until his eyes adjusted to the dim light. He scanned the room, but he didn't see her. The restaurant was crowded, and she had taken a table in the corner. She was about to stand up and wave her hand, but something held her back. There was something wrong with this picture. Was he the man she had slept with last night? He seemed different, and somehow, well, disappointing. She thought he was tall, and he wasn't; he was average height at best. He had a bit of a paunch. His nose was bigger than she remembered. His skin was pale. And she didn't remember that he wore glasses. Big, ugly glasses with thick black plastic rims. Of course there were a lot of things she didn't remember about the previous night. Such as how they got back to her apartment. She remembered going to bed with him, though. It had seemed like a good idea at the time.
Last night it had also seemed like a good idea to meet him for lunch the next day, but that morning she had misgivings. And now, in her dim corner, she wanted very much for him to go away. Maybe he would think that she stood him up. He stood there for a moment more, looking about. He frowned and looked at his watch. Then he turned and walked out.
She waited a few minutes and then gathered her things and exited the restaurant. Blinded by the sunlight, she ran right into him. "Oh!" she said.
"There you are," he said. "How's the girl of my dreams?"
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Oh, schnikey!
Oh fun, Jack! I love that you are writing in a female voice here... and captured so nicely the dissonance between what she remembered about him, from what seems to now be the truth.
A strong punch of an ending... scott-free, not at all, and thinking he is less than what she thought, to be hit with "How's the girl of my dreams?" A phrase women love to hear, but when it comes out of the wrong mouth...!
Good voice and point of view here, Jack. Great read - "Last night it had also seemed like a good idea to meet him for lunch the next day, but that morning she had misgivings. And now, in her dim corner, she wanted very much for him to go away. Maybe he would think that she stood him up. He stood there for a moment more, looking about. He frowned and looked at his watch. Then he turned and walked out."
I like the piece. Nice work.
Nice one, Jack! I'm feeling the pain of the ending.
Your ending was a surprise. I surly thought, he would not remember her as she wasn't really remembering him as he looked in daylight.
A delightful story. Enjoyed it so much.
Can you saw "awkward?" I love the amusing take on a situation like this. Good job, Jack!
ouch The ending is painfully perfect.
Ha! The closing irony had me laughing in sympathy for the myopic male in this doomed one-night stand. *!