Disclaimer: this is supposed to be sort of a drabble writing challenge, but I'm probably not going to go strictly prose
You said hello through a store window. I think you thought I was someone you knew, but you were wrong. You knocked and shouted in that way white women scream when they see their friends at Barney's when they're shopping for dresses for their daughters. In any case, you sat opposite me and stayed there smiling through your embarrassment, pretending it was okay. "So, how've you been! It's been so long!" And I thought, Really? Is she really doing this? "Hey! How are you!" Yeah, yeah you were. You did.
I swallowed, "Um, y'know, same old same old. Are you still with, um, what's-his-face, um..."
You smiled, genuine that time I think. "Cooper?" you said. I nodded. "We broke up a few months ago. He was kind of engaged when we met, apparently."
"Oh my," I even gasped and everything. "I'm sorry to hear that."
You laughed a little, "He was engaged to a man. His boyfriend was getting some work done in Thailand, so he went off fooling around with the wrong gender." I was just looking at you. Of course, now I know who Cooper is. You told me all about him when we got stranded on that apartment rooftop when we accidentally locked ourselves out of your friend's party.
"Was your boyfriend Cooper McLowell?" I slapped my hand on the table. "Because I dated him too! It was sort of messy, the break up, and the relationship, and the sex. But you would know that. I mean, you dated him too." I waved it off and went back to my meal.
It was your turn to stare. "His last name was Cooper. First name Laurence, last name Cooper."
"Well, fuck." I stared at you with wide eyes in faux terror. "I hope that didn't freak you out."
You laughed, and I would come to love that infectious comedy-club-physical-humor laugh, "Let me buy you a drink, you poor man." You called the waiter over and ordered two beers, and finally got something for yourself. I don't quite remember what you were eating, but I remember there was one stray strand of hair on your face and it bothered me the through the entire meal-conversation-encounter.
After awhile, I mean, after a few drinks, I finally went and said, "My name is actually Louie."
"Oh my god, yes! Right." And you were nodding and eating your -- oh I remember now -- fries. Casually stuffing them in your mouth in what seemed like hopes to minimize your embarrassment.
"Yeah, I noticed you were trying to guess... but I had to stop you at your G's. I mean, Gustav? Really?"
"It was as good a guess as any!" You smiled, and the dimples on your cheeks looked like they were those ripples in the water when you skip a stone across a lake. I don't see them so often anymore, but it's nice to remember these little things. "So, Louie, you do this often?"
I dragged my fork around my empty plate, "What?"
"Talk to strangers." You smirked, you knew exactly what you were doing, but I thought it was charming. You were charming and adorable. You flipped your hair. I stopped playing with my fork.
"We've known each other for ages! What're you talking about!" That made you laugh. Those dimples again.
You had some of those little giggles, like aftershock after a really big earthquake, when you said -- and I'll never forget this -- "My name's Maya, and I think I like you." You dug through your bag for something and that took you awhile, but you pulled out this crumpled up calling card, finally, and slid it across the table. "You should call me some time."
I still have that crumpled up calling card in my wallet, somewhere behind the little cut up photobooth shots of us at that one wedding and told everyone we were cousins. You pursed your lips, they were old-Hollywood-French-red then, before getting up and slinging your giant black purse over your shoulder. "This was really nice. Really, though, you should call me." You smiled. And when you walked past me, you gave my shoulder a little squeeze.
What an introduction we had. If I had known then how badly you would dismantle me, if I had known. I'd have kissed you right then and let you ruin me completely.
Day One: Beginning
After awhile, I mean, after a few drinks, I finally went and said, "My name is actually Louie."
"Oh my god, yes! Right." And you were nodding and eating your -- oh I remember now -- fries. Casually stuffing them in your mouth in what seemed like hopes to minimize your embarrassment.
"Yeah, I noticed you were trying to guess... but I had to stop you at your G's. I mean, Gustav? Really?"
"It was as good a guess as any!" You smiled, and the dimples on your cheeks looked like they were those ripples in the water when you skip a stone across a lake. I don't see them so often anymore, but it's nice to remember these little things. "So, Louie, you do this often?"
I dragged my fork around my empty plate, "What?"
"Talk to strangers." You smirked, you knew exactly what you were doing, but I thought it was charming. You were charming and adorable. You flipped your hair. I stopped playing with my fork.
"We've known each other for ages! What're you talking about!" That made you laugh. Those dimples again.
You had some of those little giggles, like aftershock after a really big earthquake, when you said -- and I'll never forget this -- "My name's Maya, and I think I like you." You dug through your bag for something and that took you awhile, but you pulled out this crumpled up calling card, finally, and slid it across the table. "You should call me some time."
I still have that crumpled up calling card in my wallet, somewhere behind the little cut up photobooth shots of us at that one wedding and told everyone we were cousins. You pursed your lips, they were old-Hollywood-French-red then, before getting up and slinging your giant black purse over your shoulder. "This was really nice. Really, though, you should call me." You smiled. And when you walked past me, you gave my shoulder a little squeeze.
What an introduction we had. If I had known then how badly you would dismantle me, if I had known. I'd have kissed you right then and let you ruin me completely.
Day One: Beginning
