“You are a very attractive lady.”

“Thank you.”

“What did you say?”

She cleared her throat. “Thank you.”

“I can tell you very intelligent. I am an educated man you know.”

Christine nodded, staring out the window, wondering if she could get a ride in that UPS truck.

He began to hum some obscure native song. Then he chuckled to himself and she could tell he had a big smile on his face.

“You know I’m looking for a wife.”

She slid down in her seat.

“You would make very fine wife, you know that?”

“You know, I’m really happy being single, but thanks anyway.”

As they turned the corner, she spied her favorite Chinese grocer, about two blocks from her apartment.

“This is my stop. What do I owe you?”

He turned around and she saw that his mustache curled twice.

“If you were my wife you could ride for free.”

She handed him a twenty and flew out of the cab. Stunned and aghast, she arrived at her door breathless.

Mr. Peepers knew something was up when she crashed through the door, throwing her purse here and her coat there and going into the kitchen to have a glass of scotch. She calmed down as the sweet burn descended her throat.

“Oh, yes.”

She went into her bedroom, opened a drawer full of sex toys and grabbed a vibrator, but put it back and went over to her Apple and got online. While waiting for the boot up she lit a Camel filter and took another sip of scotch. She got up. After closing the curtains she put on her bedside lamp and lay down, nodding of until the cigarette burned her finger and she dropped it in the scotch and really fell asleep.

When she opened her eyes it was nighttime. She recalled hearing the phone ring while half asleep. She slid off the bed, went to her Apple and began composing an email.

“Mario I missed your phone call. I slept the day away behind my closed bedroom door, but I promise I will call you this evening at 10PM. Please realize that email I sent contained a lot of projection on you and had nothing to do with you, but only my fear of the unknown. I have some great things planned for your visit.

Christine”

She hit the send button and went into the kitchen to feed Mr. Peepers and eat some leftover pizza. On returning to her bedroom she noticed the answering machine blinking. She pressed the button.

“Hi Christine, it’s Mario. I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to come down this weekend because my daughter has a break from college and is staying with me. I didn’t have any warning and she has to vacate her dorm. But let’s talk about it ok? Ok bye for now.”

Christine stared at the blinking red light and zoned out. Mr. Peepers galloped into the room and jumped on the bed, purring his little heart out, ready to be caressed. Instead she sat back down and started another email.

“Dear Mario,

I am sorry but feel it is necessary to cancel our phone date this evening, even I think, go our separate ways and not have to worry about who, what, where, when. I understand your family obligations and you need to be there for your daughter who is at a very vulnerable stage. I respect that more than you know.

However, I have been in that place before and it is so very painful to be on the outside, to be second rate, a person with no name not saying you would do that, but it was done to me the teenage daughter sister always, always put ahead of me. Never acknowledged, my very existence in my father’s life utterly disregarded.

I could go on stories that would send chills, but I will not.

You’re dealing with a lot and I have a desperate need for a strong presence in my life.

You have other priorities please deal with them and, whatever.

Good luck, etc

Christine”

She moved over to the bed and lay next to the cat. He began to purr and she began to stroke him softly. She thought about calling her sister in Jersey, but fell asleep instead.