First Date

62 Elizabeth S. Ames First Date On their first date, the man and the woman sit at the table in the restaurant, talking about everything under the sun. The man says he Ukes action movies. The woman says she likes them too. The woman says she loves Flannery O'Connor. To her surprise, the man does too. The man talks about an old girlfriend who'd jilted him. The woman says she had a similar experience. The man says thathe had a terrible childhood, that he has never been happy. The woman says she has never been happy either. Both confess that they've never admitted this to anyone before. They talk for hours, long after the waitress brings the check, until the restaurant has cleared out and it's finally time to close. The man tells the woman that they've had an incredible conversation. He feels as though they've known each other for years. He puts down his credit card on the table. For the first time there is silence. Horrified, the woman thinks to herseU: "What more is there to say?" She suddenly sees the years ahead spread outbefore her and imagines herseU married to the man, lying in bed with him, staring up at the ceiling in süence. Looking down at the table, she feels as empty as her dessert plate. ...