He had no confidence in his ability to parallel park. The line of cars flanking the curb on his right side seemed to be taunting him for not securing a parking place earlier, and every time he approached a potential parking spot he deemed it much too small and sped off along the street to circle the block once again.

The sun was just beginning to fall below the horizon, and Davis was itching to call his date for that night and tell her he’d be late, or better yet, pull into the parking garage down the street and end his ordeal once and for all. He should have taken the family limo – but hadn’t he promised Lis that he’d show up like a normal date for once? No fancy clothes, no fancy cars. Just the two of them.

Davis turned the corner onto Eight Street for the fourth time that evening, scanning the edge of the road for a parking spot. His eyes finally came to rest on a suitably large spot, sitting miraculously in front of of Lis’s apartment. Davis pulled up next to the car directly in front of the parking spot, gave the steering wheel a gentle twist, and slid into the spot.

Or so he wished.

In reality, Davis drove backwards one small inch at a time, slamming on the breaks at regular intervals between the jerky movements of his steering wheel. It took him several tries, but eventually he managed to get his car into a somewhat straight position between the two other vehicles.

‘And now to pick up Lis with some semblance of dignity!’ Davis thought with a smirk, reaching over to click off the engine and push his door open.

“Nice parking job!” a cheerful voice called, and Davis turned his head to the right to see a vivacious, brown-haired girl resting her arms just below the car’s window and smiling at him.

“Lis!” he sputtered, motioning for her to climb into the car. “How much of that did you see?”

“Oh, only the last two or three times you passed by,” Lis said, winking and sliding into her seat. Her lips were painted cherry-red, and they reached over to peck Davis on the cheek. “But I’m proud of you for not taking the limo.”

“A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do,” Davis replied, running a finger down Lis’s arm. Her black dress was sleeveless and stopped just short of her knees; it was one of his favorites. “I just have one question.”

“Yeah?” Lis asked, already impatient to get on with their date.

“How do I get out of here?”