FLIRTING IN A DINER

I was sitting in the Diner watching a young waitress move about.  I don’t know how young she was, but I found myself hoping she wasn’t too young for me.  She had been flirting with me, no doubt about it, and I thought she was very attractive.  I kept on finding new things to order just so I could stay at my table and appreciate her.  She walked back over to me carrying a coffee pot.  “More coffee?” she asked.

“I don’t want to get too wired.”

“Right, all that energy and nothing to do with it.  Or is there?”

“You get right to the point,” I said.

“Life is too short.  You’re cute, I’m hot, why not?”

“How old are you, anyway?”

“Does it really matter?” she wanted to know.`

“My guess would be late 20’s, and even that might be too young for me.”

“Why?  Come on, live a little.”

I sighed.  “How old?”

“I turned 21 last Tuesday, so I’m legal.”

“Check please.  I’m not a cradle robber.”

“Even if I promised to make all of your most erotic fantasies come true?”

I paused, then said,  “I’m flattered that you’d even consider me, but… no.”

This beautiful girl shrugged and walked away.  I felt a hand swipe across the back of my head, and heard a familiar voice say,  “Just what in the hell do you think you’re doing, Mister Bill?”

I smiled warmly and turned to see Karen standing behind me.  The love of my life.  My soulmate.  My gay ex-girlfriend.  “Hi, Karen.”

She seemed stern.  “Answer the question.  Why did you come to my Café to hit on an innocent young waitress, way too young for you old man?”

“I thought I was in a Diner.”

“It’s a Café, and don’t try to change the subject.”  She had sneaked up on me, and now she came around to sit across the table from me.  “What’s up with you?”

“I came to see you, and you weren’t here.”

“So you decided to hit on my staff?”

“Don’t be mad.  I came to make peace.  I didn’t like how we left things last time I was here.”

Her face softened, and the smile that separated her lips was pure sunshine.  “I felt bad, too.  I didn’t mean to hurt you, and I sure didn’t mean to send you away without a meal.”

“It was my fault.”

“It was both of our fault, and you know it.  I can take some of the blame, too.”

“I was a jerk.”

“That’s enough, that’s in the past and the subject is closed.  Agreed?”

“Yes ma’am.  I will learn to be more understanding and tolerant of Cheryl.”

“There is no more Cheryl.”

“What?  Since when?”

“She’s gone, let’s just leave it at that for now.  We might discuss it more later.  Like over dinner tonight.”

“Just you and me?”

“Ask me out on a date, silly man.”

I felt a tingling sensation.  “Karen, will you go out with me tonight?”

She looked up at the ceiling as if she were thinking it over, then laughed and said,  “Yes, but you have to get me home by midnight.”

I felt so warm and good all over.  “I am really glad you’re not mad at me anymore.”

She reached across the table and took my hands.  “Listen here, you.  I love you, and I always will.  You are very special to me.”

“Can I be your boyfriend?”

She shook her head.  “One step at a time.  Dinner tonight, OK?  But one thing I know for sure is that I want you to be a bigger part of my life.  I need you, Bill.”  She squeezed my hands in hers.

I swallowed hard.  “I need you too, Karen.”