The Next Day

The next day was Saturday. Josh and his housemate Ian were enjoying a slow cup of coffee at the kitchen table when his phone pinged; it was a text from Sadie: Hey Prometheus, it was fun meeting you last night. Let’s do it again sometime. I’ll bring the logs if you bring the matches. Josh had just finished giving Ian a full accounting of his charged meeting with Sadie, so the timing of her text couldn’t have been better. He grabbed his phone and tapped: How about meeting for coffee tomorrow at The Mug Shot? Wear your finest asbestos so you don’t get burned. Sadie: Sounds cool, how about 9 o’clock? Whomever gets there first try and find the table nearest the fire extinguisher. And just like that, their first date was set.

The First Date

The Mug Shot is a popular hangout for the thirty-something crowd. It can get pretty crowded on weekend mornings so Josh arrived a few minutes early and managed to score a table along the wall near the front window. The twin aromas of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods filled the air. The clatter of cups, the woosh of the espresso machine and the low buzz of conversation created a dreamy soundscape. There were people working on their laptops and others tapping away at their phones, there was even one woman reading an actual book. Josh’s seat faced the window so he watched Sadie strolled past and come in through the door. When she spotted him her face lit up in a big grin. She looked fabulous! The puffy jacket and Dodgers cap were gone, replaced by a pair of snuggly fitting, faded jeans and a black v-necked sweater that accentuated her small, perfectly rounded breasts. Josh had always been a pushover for small breasted women. Sadie wore her hair in a side part, auburn curls falling just past her shoulders. She wore no make-up and just a touch of clear lip gloss, her hazel eyes were bright and alive. When she got to the table Josh stood and they hugged warmly. “I hope this table is ok,” said Josh sheepishly, “I couldn’t find the fire extinguisher.” Sadie replied, “Well I hope things don’t get too hot around here.” This time there was no fire to hide Josh’s blushing face.

They ordered coffee and scones. She went for blueberry, he the chocolate chip. Their conversation was easy and far ranging. Josh felt so comfortable around Sadie. They found common ground in their love of travel, nature and bluegrass music. She dipped her artichoke in butter, he in mayo; thankfully not a major sticking point. Their energies were similar, everything just seemed to flow smoothly between them. Sadie smiled often, he loved the way her eyes turned down slightly at the corners, giving them a dreamy look. They made lots of eye contact, there was no staring down at their coffees or looking around the room. Neither of them checked their phones. There’s something happening here, Stephen Stills once sang. 

Josh didn’t want to blow this like he did several years ago with Amanda. He was so knocked out by Amanda’s stunning beauty and the fact that she  actually chose him when she could have been with anyone, that he kind of panicked. Instead of taking the time to really get to know who Amanda was he kind of obsessed over her stunning good looks, failing to see the person she was inside and ended up pushing her away. He wasn’t going to make that same mistake with Sadie. This time he was determined to play it cool, to relax and actually get to know her. There’s a person behind this lovely woman and Josh was going to take the time to find out who she was.

(To be continued)