"You'll never guess what happened to me."  Jackie burst through Andy's door as soon as he opened it.  He blinked and yawned.  He had been napping.
     "You tried on a piece of clothing that wasn't black and you liked it?"  he offered.
     "No silly."  She paced to the refrigerator and poured herself a glass of orange juice.
     "You're not gonna drink that straight are you?" Andy asked.  "There's vodka in the freezer."
     "Oh, don't get me started."
     "Wouldn't dream of it."  He yawned again.
     "You'll never believe this."  She sat and played with a bracelet.  Then got up and tapped on the counter.
     "You're not on anything, are you?"
     "No."
     "Too bad.  Well, go ahead.  Try me."
     "All right.  You know that guy at Ceasar's?"
     "That guy?"
     "The one with the shirt with the white sleeves," she mimed billowing sleeves.  "The Victorian guy."
     "Oh, uh actually, yeah, I think I do."
     "Well, I don't know what it is about him.  I noticed him the first night he showed up at Caesar's, about a month ago.  He was just staring at me.  And last week I saw him talking to Toni and Alex."  She took a sip of her juice.  Andy grabbed a wineglass.  "So I started talking to Toni."
     "That's good.  You get to talk to him?"
     "No.  Toni, that goof, never introduced us."  She shook her head.  "But the whole time he kept sneaking looks at me."
     "Looks," Andy huffed.  "What looks?"  He filled his glass with wine.
     "You know, the I'm-not-trying-to-stare-but-I-really-want-to kind of looks.  And I knew something was up then.  So... this part you won't believe."
     "Get on with it," Andy growled.
     "Well, yesterday I went to Trinity church and prayed for guidance."
     "You what?"
     "I prayed.  I was going by anyway and the urge struck me.  It was funny."
     "Well..."
     "The strangest thing was I think I could feel something."
     "The loose screw in your head?"
     "No, more a sense that everything was gonna work out on it's own, a sense that I should have faith."
     "Have you been sleeping well?"
     "No, actually, I keep thinking of him, but that's beside the point."
     "So you went to church and now you're hearing voices.  I'm glad for you, Jackie.  Really."
     "No.  C'mon, there's more."  She put her empty glass in the sink.  "Today I was working at the Black Whole."
     "I don't believe it.  You actually went to work," Andy mocked.  "It's a miracle."
     "Let me finish."  She threw a scornful glance and waited.  "So halfway through the day, he walks in.  He introduces himself, since as he said, our friends wouldn't.  And he asked me to dinner tonight."
     "Really."
     "Yeah, he said he'd been dying to talk to me for ages, but never had the chance.  And then he said he'd done a tarot reading for himself and it told him to go shopping."
     "What a load of bu...  Did he buy anything?"
     "I don't remember."
     "He probably was out to shoplift.  You should check inventory."
     "I'm serious Andy.  I think he's 'The One.'"
     "Oh C'mon...'The One.'  This guy?"
     "Yep."
     "You don't even know him!"
     "It's love at first sight."
     "Love?"
     "Yeah, love.  Why not?  Gotta happen to somebody.  Turns out he's a sculptor too.  Works with metal."
     "I don't believe you... love," he scoffed.
     "Well, I knew you wouldn't, but I had to tell someone."  She spun around.  "I gotta get ready for Frank."
     "Frank?"
     "You know, my dinner date."
     "Where are you going?"  She opened the door.
     "Mattias'," She called as she passed outside.
     "Wear something black," he shouted after her before closing the door.  He sank down into his chair overlooking the street.
     "True love," he laughed and shook his head.
     "The One," he mocked.  Andy scowled.  Suddenly he threw his glass at the old radiator.  It shattered into thousands of pieces and sprinkled the floor like snowflakes.  Drops of wine pooled here and there.  Andy stood up and growled.
     "There's to true love."  His voice echoed in the empty apartment.
 

Return to Homepage

©CJ Shannon, Webmaster