Shadow Traffic

“Do You Like This Room?”

105 “Do You Like This Room?” “Do you like this room?” “Yes, it’s very nice.” “You don’t say that with much conviction,” he said, leaning forward in his chair, which faced her on the sofa. “It’s a fine room, really. It looks like it’s your entertainment center.” “Why do you say that?” She pulled back some of the hair that had fallen over her eyes, hair that she now realized was the same color brown as his. “Because there’re so many things here that are entertaining . . . like your giant TV and your stereo.” “Do you think the TV is too big?” “No, it’s a wonderful size. It must be great to watch movies on.” He seemed to relax a bit but was still looking at her intently, as if checking her face against an identification card. “Did you like the restaurant we went to tonight?” “Yes, very much.” “The food, the service . . . did it live up to your expectations ?” shadow traffic 106 “It exceeded them.” “And was your crème brûlée all right? I remember you hesitated before choosing it. Was it too sweet or too bitter?” “It was too good. I hadn’t meant to eat all of it. I meant to share some of it with you, but I guess it turned me into a little pig,” she said, laughing for a few seconds. He nodded and watched her drink her gin and tonic. “So did the restaurant seem the kind of place you thought we should go to? I mean on a second date. Did it meet those expectations ?” “Yes, of course. I mean I didn’t have any expectations . . . I” “Why not?” “Anything would have been fine but what you chose was excellent , just right. Why are you asking me all these questions? It’s starting to make me a little nervous.” “Do you really want to know?” “Yes, I do,” she said, finishing her drink and setting it down on the glass table in front of them. He watched her cross her legs—her skirt just above her knees—before answering her. “It’s because of the last woman I was with.” “Oh.” “There are probably other factors involved, but for the most part I lay this at her feet.” She made a supportive sound that stopped just short of being a word. “You look mystified,” he said. “See, just before she left me she said I never asked if she was happy, so now I’ve learned to ask.” “OK, I understand,” she said, nodding. He also nodded, as if imitating her, and finished his drink. “You may be wondering why I didn’t ask you any of these questions during our first date. It’s because I figured I’d get my an- “Do You Like This Room?” 107 swer when I asked you out again. That if you said yes it meant you liked the first date.” “I did like the first date. I liked it quite a bit.” “I guess you think I’m being silly saying all this since you’re here in my condominium, right?” “It’s not silly,” she said, straightening her skirt so that it was at knee level now or perhaps just below. “Hey,” the man said, his green eyes suddenly becoming animated , “are you in the mood to play a game?” “What kind of game?” she said, smiling and wondering if he was finally going to make a move. “A surprising game. A game you would never think of playing .” She looked at him—it was as if a whole new side of his personality was suddenly opening like a door revealing a garden. It gave her more hope about him since he’d seemed a trifle bland until now, although also very nice. “Everyone likes surprises if they’re fun,” she said. “Would you like to play one of the games I invented?” “I’m not sure I understand. You mean a board game or . . .?” “No, this isn’t the kind of game you could buy in a store. We play it with our minds.” “Well, maybe you could tell me about it first.” “I invented it a few minutes ago while you were asking me why I asked you so many questions. Here’s how it works. One of us plays the role of God, I mean the typical Christian allknowing God, and...