Perfect Date
He was Really handsome. He had that certain confidence that would show in little things. A good hard stare, and a firm handshake, served with a smile. Oh, and smooth parallel parking, just outside the restaurant, where there seemed to be a spot waiting just for them.
His presence demanded attention. When they entered the restaurant, the staff was just short of groveling before them, like he was someone famous. Was he, she would have to find out?
She had red wine, he had ice-tea, since he was driving. Now she could add responsible to the list. He said he enjoyed a good brandy, or quality-whisky every now and again, but not to excess. She dropped by the restroom before the meal, and took a pill. In fifteen minutes or so, all the tension went away. Soon she was relaxed, and just riding this wave. He was the captain, and she felt secure on this ride.
The food was delicious. He encouraged her to try new things she would never have touched on her own. She had been missing out on so much. He didn´t check out the waitress’s ass, and seemed to have eyes only for her. Everything was great. While he popped to the restroom, she popped another pill. She had almost finished the whole bottle of red, and felt terrific.
Then there was the sad story. He had almost been married once, but his fiancé had developed an aggressive cancer and died in just three months. He told this matter-of-factly, but she could hear his voice crack a bit nearing the end. She just wanted to hold him, and tell him it will be all right. After that, he had lost interest in dating, and this was his first in three years.
He ran his own company, and made a really good living. Just how good, she wanted to know, but couldn´t really ask. He knew this, and casually showed her a photo of himself petting his dog on his front lawn. The house was huge. She pretended not to pay attention to the house, and complimented the dog.
His real passion was to be a novelist. He had just completed his first novel, and was now talking to two publishing houses, but who knew, it could go either way.
He paid, and tipped generously. The staff just about threw rose petals before them on their way out. They all knew him by his name. Was he famous, she should really find out?
When he dropped her by her house, she was more than ready to welcome him in. Just say the right words, don´t hesitate, don´t ask, just put your hand in my hair and kiss me. Instead, he said:
“You know, I don´t know the etiquette, so I´m just gonna flat out say it. I like you, and I want to see you again”
He was not even planning to come in, and this was wonderfully confusing. There was that odd second when she wondered had she done something wrong, but then realized he had just stated wanting to see her again.
She gave him her number.
“That three-day rule is crap by the way. I´ll call you tomorrow,” he said and drove off. She only just noticed the car was really expensive.
When she got in her apartment, she was tingling all over. She poured some more wine.
She started to picture their life together. Would they get married? They would make an awesome couple, and maybe the dog would learn to like her too. She just knew what their wedding photo would look like. A pity those moments don´t last forever, things always get sour. Maybe he would become cold and evasive at some point? Would his farts smell? Is he a snorer?
She found herself thinking about happy endings. A movie can end in a happy note, but real life never does. Everything always ends in tears. People get divorced and have bitter custody battles. In this case, their son would look up to the father, and would want to stay with him. Then she would be left alone again. This time maybe nearing fifty, who would want her then anymore?
Even if they had a happy marriage, he would die. Men always die before the women, leaving us alone.
What´s the use? Why can´t life end in a perfect frame, in a perfect melody, like it does in a movie? This had been a perfect date, perhaps even a perfect day. It dawned on her, this could be the peak of her life, and from here it would be a dull journey downhill.
She could keep her dignity. She could end this story on a happy note. Before realizing, she was already holding a handful of pills. Maybe fifteen or so. Today was the 15th. She´d lost virginity at 15.
She opened the good bottle of red. The one she had been saving for something special.
Thinking of happy endings always made her sad. But she wasn´t crying, and didn´t want to. She just wanted to feel nothing. Why does happiness make you sad?
Soon the palm of her hand was empty. The bottle was still half full, which made her wonder why she thought of it half full, not half empty. Now she was in that place, where she felt nothing. No tears, no joy, no fear of tomorrow. Then she went to bed, and never woke up again.