True Maria
Jodie Keenan, East Sierra Branch
“Maria?”
“Yeah, hi! Are you John?”
“Wow, you … wow!”
“That’s a good ‘wow’ I hope?”
“Yeah, I mean, you look just like your pictures.”
“Ha ha, no worries, you haven’t been catfished.”
“I just … You’re so real.”
“Well, that’s the idea isn’t it?”
“Um, I guess. I’m sorry, I’m nervous, this is kind of new for me.”
“First dates are always rough. On that note, did you have anything in mind? I’m up for whatever!”
“Well, it’s a beautiful day. How would you feel about taking a walk?”
“Relieved, honestly! There’s nothing worse than trying to get to know someone while you’re cooped up in some snooty restaurant, you know?”
“Um … being perfectly honest? I wasn’t sure if I should make reservations. We, um, never talked about, you know, if you ate or not.”
“Ha!”
“I’m sorry!”
“It’s okay, I get that a lot. Yes, I eat. I promise you, my hardware’s all pretty much the same as yours. Well … hopefully not all the same.”
“Ha ha, yeah. Hardware?”
“Come on, there’s a great ice cream stand a couple of blocks this way!”
“Pickle? Really? Pickle ice cream?”
“I like to try something new. Do you want a taste? It’s not gross, I promise.”
“Hmm … you’re right, it’s not gross. Tastes more like one of those little cucumber dill tea sandwiches you get at baby showers.”
“What’s a pickle but cucumber and dill that have seen better days? So you regretting playing it safe with vanilla?”
“Nah, vanilla gets a bad rap for being so plain. But I must have tried about a hundred flavors of ice cream when I first went SA, it’s still my favorite.”
“SA?”
“Oh, self-aware, you know? Man, the first week or so I drove myself crazy trying to experience everything. What can I say? Maybe I turned out basic, but I like vanilla ice-cream and a nice walk in the sunlight.”
“Damn. If you’ve experienced everything then what do I have to offer?”
“Come on, John. Being a little overzealous in the first week of my life notwithstanding, it’s not like I was actually able to experience everything. I mean, come on, I’m only human.”
“Heh, sorry, right.”
“Oh my God, he’s so cute! Can I pet him? Oh, you good boy, you’re a good boy! Ack! Thank you! Do you have any more kisses for my friend, John?”
“I’m okay. He’s super cute, though?”
“Bye bye, buddy!”
“Lights changing.”
“Bye! … hey, are you okay, John?”
“Yeah, it was a really cute puppy.”
“But … ?”
“I’m … I’m embarrassed about this, but I’m kind of scared of dogs.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know!”
“It’s not exactly the kind of thing you tell a beautiful girl you met online.”
“Aww, you think I’m beautiful?”
“Come on, look at you!”
“Blushing here.”
Hang on. The plot thickens. See what happens next
in Part II, in next month’s Showcase.