Megan​ ​was​ ​very​ ​excited​ ​about​ ​the​ ​first​ ​date​ ​with​ ​Joe,​ ​the​ ​man​ ​she​ ​met​ ​online​

​a​ ​couple​ ​of

weeks​ ​earlier.​ ​They​ ​decided​ ​to​ ​meet​ ​in​ ​a​ ​restaurant​ ​recommended​ ​to​ ​her​ ​by​ ​her​ ​friend​ ​-​ ​she
said​ ​she​ ​met​ ​there​ ​her​ ​future​ ​husband​ ​for​ ​the​ ​first​ ​time,​ ​so​ ​she​ ​considered​ ​the​ ​restaurant​ ​to
be​ ​a​ ​lucky​ ​place.​ ​She​ ​also​ ​said​ ​that​ ​it​ ​served​ ​good​ ​food​ ​and​ ​had​ ​a​ ​charming​ ​interior​ ​as​ ​well.
Megan​ ​recognized​ ​it​ ​to​ ​be​ ​true​ ​the​ ​very​ ​moment​ ​they​ ​entered​ ​the​ ​place​ ​-​ ​the​ ​mix​ ​of​ ​different
oriental​ ​and​ ​amazing​ ​smells​ ​filled​ ​her​ ​nostrils,​ ​ ​and​ ​she​ ​loved​ ​the​ ​way​ ​the​ ​restaurant​ ​was
furnished.​ ​She​ ​liked​ ​the​ ​dim​ ​light​ ​cast​ ​by​ ​little​ ​lamps​ ​hanging​ ​over​ ​the​ ​tables​ ​and​ ​the​ ​dark
wood​ ​the​ ​tables​ ​were​ ​made​ ​of.​ ​She​ ​thought​ ​that​ ​it​ ​corresponded​ ​very​ ​well​ ​with​ ​the​ ​red
tablecloths;​ ​when​ ​she​ ​touched​ ​the​ ​fabric,​ ​she​ ​was​ ​amazed​ ​how​ ​silky​ ​it​ ​was.​ ​She​ ​noticed​ ​a
nice​ ​and​ ​cosy​ ​place​ ​in​ ​the​ ​corner​ ​and​ ​she​ ​immediately​ ​knew​ ​where​ ​she​ ​wants​ ​to​ ​sit.She
liked​ ​the​ ​music​ ​too​ ​-​ ​so​ ​unusual​ ​and​ ​exotic!​ ​The​ ​food​ ​was​ ​delicious​ ​as​ ​well​ ​-​ ​the​ ​oriental​ ​dish
she​ ​ordered​ ​titillated​ ​her​ ​taste​ ​buds​ ​with​ ​a​ ​mixture​ ​of​ ​sweet,​ ​sour​ ​and​ ​spicy.​ ​And​ ​Joe…​ ​he
was​ ​such​ ​a​ ​good​ ​listener!​ ​She​ ​could​ ​tell​ ​him​ ​about​ ​her​ ​work,​ ​her​ ​views,​ ​her​ ​hobbies,​ ​the​ ​TV
show​ ​she​ ​recently​ ​watched,​ ​her​ ​sister’s​ ​wedding​ ​-​ ​pretty​ ​much​ ​about​ ​everything,​ ​and​ ​he
showed​ ​that​ ​he​ ​knows​ ​what​ ​she​ ​means​ ​and​ ​agrees​ ​with​ ​her.​ ​She​ ​really​ ​felt​ ​she​ ​could​ ​open
to​ ​him​ ​and​ ​be​ ​understood.​ ​He​ ​payed​ ​for​ ​the​ ​dinner​ ​like​ ​a​ ​real​ ​gentleman​ ​and​ ​then​ ​they​ ​went
for​ ​a​ ​romantic​ ​walk​ ​in​ ​the​ ​moonlight.​ ​She​ ​loved​ ​how​ ​the​ ​pale​ ​light​ ​glittered​ ​on​ ​the​ ​snow​ ​and
how​ ​cold​ ​air​ ​pierced​ ​her​ ​body,​ ​making​ ​her​ ​feel​ ​alive.​ ​Around​ ​midnight,​ ​he​ ​called​ ​a​ ​cab​ ​to​ ​get
her​ ​home​ ​-​ ​it​ ​was​ ​so​ ​sweet​ ​and​ ​romantic​ ​of​ ​him!​ ​She​ ​came​ ​back​ ​home​ ​feeling​ ​that​ ​it​ ​was​ ​a
perfect​ ​date.

Joe​ ​was​ ​curious​ ​what​ ​place​ ​Megan​ ​has​ ​chosen.​ ​She​ ​claimed​ ​that​ ​the​ ​restaurant​ ​was​ ​really
special.​ ​Indeed​ ​it​ ​was,​ ​but​ ​not​ ​the​ ​way​ ​he​ ​imagined​ ​-​ ​the​ ​place​ ​was​ ​so​ ​dark​ ​he​ ​could​ ​barely
read​ ​the​ ​menu.​ ​He​ ​ordered​ ​the​ ​very​ ​first​ ​thing​ ​that​ ​seemed​ ​reasonable​ ​and​ ​didn’t​ ​cost​ ​an
arm​ ​and​ ​a​ ​leg.​ ​The​ ​oriental​ ​music​ ​just​ ​made​ ​him​ ​feel​ ​irritated​ ​-​ ​he​ ​really​ ​didn’t​ ​like​ ​sitar,
considering​ ​it​ ​a​ ​beaten​ ​to​ ​death​ ​cliche.​ ​When​ ​the​ ​food​ ​finally​ ​was​ ​served,​ ​he​ ​was​ ​worried​ ​by
the​ ​smell,​ ​but​ ​it​ ​was​ ​so​ ​expansive​ ​he​ ​decided​ ​to​ ​eat​ ​it​ ​no​ ​matter​ ​what.​ ​He​ ​was​ ​close​ ​to
discard​ ​this​ ​intention​ ​as​ ​soon​ ​as​ ​he​ ​tasted​ ​it,​ ​but​ ​struggling​ ​with​ ​the​ ​extremely​ ​sour​ ​sauce
allowed​ ​him​ ​not​ ​pay​ ​attention​ ​to​ ​the​ ​gibberish​ ​Megan​ ​was​ ​talking.​ ​She​ ​wouldn’t​ ​shut​ ​up,​ ​not
to​ ​mention​ ​she​ ​didn’t​ ​express​ ​any​ ​interest​ ​in​ ​what​ ​he​ ​had​ ​to​ ​say​ ​on​ ​any​ ​topic​ ​she​ ​brought
up,​ ​not​ ​to​ ​mention​ ​bringing​ ​his​ ​own​ ​-​ ​she​ ​was​ ​talking​ ​only​ ​about​ ​herself​ ​and​ ​some​ ​trivial
nonsense,​ ​and​ ​even​ ​then​ ​she​ ​couldn’t​ ​stick​ ​to​ ​any​ ​topic​ ​for​ ​more​ ​than​ ​5​ ​minutes,​ ​so​ ​as​ ​soon
as​ ​he​ ​realized​ ​how​ ​the​ ​conversations​ ​is​ ​gonna​ ​go,​ ​he​ ​gave​ ​up​ ​and​ ​just​ ​nodded​ ​from​ ​time​ ​to
time.​ ​He​ ​was​ ​unhappy​ ​about​ ​the​ ​table​ ​she’s​ ​chosen,​ ​since​ ​he​ ​had​ ​a​ ​bad​ ​knee​ ​and​ ​sitting​ ​in
a​ ​such​ ​tight​ ​space​ ​in​ ​the​ ​corner​ ​was​ ​giving​ ​him​ ​cramps.​ ​When​ ​the​ ​pain​ ​was​ ​too​ ​strong​ ​and
Megan’s​ ​logorrhea​ ​too​ ​irritating,​ ​he​ ​decided​ ​he​ ​has​ ​to​ ​go​ ​home.​ ​He​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​go​ ​on​ ​foot,​ ​in
order​ ​to​ ​stretch​ ​the​ ​knee.​ ​He​ ​paid​ ​for​ ​the​ ​food,​ ​not​ ​bothering​ ​with​ ​asking​ ​about​ ​splitting​ ​the
bill​ ​-​ ​it​ ​ ​was​ ​very​ ​expansive​ ​and​ ​he​ ​believed​ ​in​ ​equality​ ​and​ ​partnership​ ​between​ ​man​ ​and
woman,​ ​but​ ​he​ ​just​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​get​ ​away​ ​from​ ​this​ ​place.​ ​He​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​say​ ​goodbye,​ ​but​ ​to
his​ ​surprise​ ​Megan​ ​took​ ​her​ ​coat​ ​and​ ​joined​ ​him.​ ​He​ ​lived​ ​far​ ​from​ ​the​ ​restaurant,​ ​and​ ​she
accompanied​ ​him​ ​for​ ​the​ ​most​ ​of​ ​his​ ​way.​ ​The​ ​pain,​ ​the​ ​cold​ ​and​ ​her​ ​talking​ ​-​ ​he​ ​could​ ​bare
them​ ​individually,​ ​but​ ​not​ ​all​ ​at​ ​once,​ ​so​ ​he​ ​took​ ​ ​a​ ​couple​ ​of​ ​bucks​ ​he​ ​still​ ​had​ ​after​ ​the​ ​diner
and​ ​ordered​ ​her​ ​a​ ​cab.​ ​When​ ​she​ ​finally​ ​left,​ ​he​ ​breathed​ ​the​ ​sigh​ ​of​ ​relief.