`I’ve never had a Belgian waffle, Max.’ Alison had her arm hooked through his and spoke into his ear.`Where can we get one?’
They’d been walking for ten minutes and Max was enjoying himself hugely `well, you can get them loads of places but for real ones you have to go to Brooklyn - and what you desire,’ he put on his most obsequious voice `you shall have.’ He raised his arm and whistled at a passing taxi which obligingly slammed on its brakes and executed a perfect movie-like handbrake turn before drawing up beside them in a cacophany of horn insults.
The wafflarium was stuck down a side street in the heart of oldest Brooklyn. Max had been shown the place by the same friend he’d got the apartment from - part of a crash course in the real places of New York. It was a basic joint, dark orange formica the order of the day. The welcome was warm though and the friendliness almost as expansive as the menu. Max and Alison sat in a booth and stuck some quarters into the table top juke-box selector. An elderly waitress offered menus and recited the specials, which all sounded the same.
Max found again that talking with Alison was easy and he relaxed more and more as the evening went on. They discussed all the usual first date things and discovered that they shared tastes in music, food, politics and movies. Alison was amused that the occasional jog was about as far as exercise went in Max’s life. He, on the other hand, was not surprised that most of her time was spent outside and that health ran top of her interests.
The light from outside gradually waned as the evening drew in. they decided to take a cab back to town and hang in the village for a while. Alison knew a couple of bars that she liked and wanted Max to try them. Paying the check, Max felt reasonably like puking after the weight of cream and sugar he’d just consumed. He figured he’d cope though. They grabbed a cab quite easily and fell into the back laughing, at ease with each other.
They didn’t notice the car pull out from the kerb after them. Ray sat stiffly behind the wheel,`Fuck, Fuck, Fuck!’
At one in the morning they were quietly heading back uptown in another cab. `Your place or mine’ murmured Alison.
Max felt an unfamiliar vice close on his neck. All of a sudden the ditherer returned.`Err’ he said `If its alright with you, I think I’ll call it a night - I have to get up early.’he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
Alison’s eyes reflected the amber of the street lights as the car passed under them. Her features took on those of a mask as the darkness stole the humanity from her face. Her expression was inscrutable in such light. After a second, she leant forward, level with Max. the headlights of cars on the cross streets illuminated her smile. `Sure’ she said `we’ve both got busy days tomorrow. Her nails scraped gently at his neck. The little hairs at his nape stood up in response. Max gave the driver his address and shortly escaped into the light night air. Closing the door of the cab he waved and went inside. The cab moved off.
Ray sat undecided in his car thirty yards down the street. He’d missed his chance if he wanted to beat the crap out of the guy tonight but it was safe to assume Alison would be pissed at him if he did, so 'not tonight mister, not tonight. I’ll get you though, Oh yes, I’ll get you.’
Whispereing to himself, he pulled out after the taxi and followed to make sure she got home okay.
--
They’d been walking for ten minutes and Max was enjoying himself hugely `well, you can get them loads of places but for real ones you have to go to Brooklyn - and what you desire,’ he put on his most obsequious voice `you shall have.’ He raised his arm and whistled at a passing taxi which obligingly slammed on its brakes and executed a perfect movie-like handbrake turn before drawing up beside them in a cacophany of horn insults.
The wafflarium was stuck down a side street in the heart of oldest Brooklyn. Max had been shown the place by the same friend he’d got the apartment from - part of a crash course in the real places of New York. It was a basic joint, dark orange formica the order of the day. The welcome was warm though and the friendliness almost as expansive as the menu. Max and Alison sat in a booth and stuck some quarters into the table top juke-box selector. An elderly waitress offered menus and recited the specials, which all sounded the same.
Max found again that talking with Alison was easy and he relaxed more and more as the evening went on. They discussed all the usual first date things and discovered that they shared tastes in music, food, politics and movies. Alison was amused that the occasional jog was about as far as exercise went in Max’s life. He, on the other hand, was not surprised that most of her time was spent outside and that health ran top of her interests.
The light from outside gradually waned as the evening drew in. they decided to take a cab back to town and hang in the village for a while. Alison knew a couple of bars that she liked and wanted Max to try them. Paying the check, Max felt reasonably like puking after the weight of cream and sugar he’d just consumed. He figured he’d cope though. They grabbed a cab quite easily and fell into the back laughing, at ease with each other.
They didn’t notice the car pull out from the kerb after them. Ray sat stiffly behind the wheel,`Fuck, Fuck, Fuck!’
At one in the morning they were quietly heading back uptown in another cab. `Your place or mine’ murmured Alison.
Max felt an unfamiliar vice close on his neck. All of a sudden the ditherer returned.`Err’ he said `If its alright with you, I think I’ll call it a night - I have to get up early.’he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
Alison’s eyes reflected the amber of the street lights as the car passed under them. Her features took on those of a mask as the darkness stole the humanity from her face. Her expression was inscrutable in such light. After a second, she leant forward, level with Max. the headlights of cars on the cross streets illuminated her smile. `Sure’ she said `we’ve both got busy days tomorrow. Her nails scraped gently at his neck. The little hairs at his nape stood up in response. Max gave the driver his address and shortly escaped into the light night air. Closing the door of the cab he waved and went inside. The cab moved off.
Ray sat undecided in his car thirty yards down the street. He’d missed his chance if he wanted to beat the crap out of the guy tonight but it was safe to assume Alison would be pissed at him if he did, so 'not tonight mister, not tonight. I’ll get you though, Oh yes, I’ll get you.’
Whispereing to himself, he pulled out after the taxi and followed to make sure she got home okay.
--
posted by Oleanderman at 7:07 pm
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