He wasn't sure if she would show up. Blind dates were something he had never attempted before, and to be candid, he never wanted to. It was his sister who arranged everything, telling him that his date was named Elizabeth but preferred to be called Liz. She worked with his sister at the factory, which had once been one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the country. However, since the war, it had been repurposed to make tanks for the army.
He was a veteran of the war, having received a Purple Heart after being shot and saving the lives of four fellow soldiers. He would give anything to be back in action, but his fighting days were over. Now he sold war bonds and volunteered at the USO, doing what he could to serve.
As he waited to see if she would arrive, he sipped on a beer and reflected on memories he would soon forget. Yet, memories don’t always fade when you want them to. "David?" he heard a distant voice call. Startled, he jumped up, almost knocking over the table, causing a fork to clatter to the floor. Regaining his composure, he smiled and nodded. "Liz?" he asked.
She was beautiful, with shoulder-length hair and skin that he imagined would be as soft as a rose petal. Her green eyes sparkled like flawless rubies, and her lips were as red as cherries. At first, he was at a loss for words, but that feeling vanished as soon as they sat down and conversation began to flow with an ease he had never experienced before.
A piano man played favorite tunes, and they danced to almost every song, not caring if their food got cold or if the dim lights brightened, signaling that the restaurant would close in thirty minutes. Neither of them wanted the night to end. He offered to hail her a cab, but she preferred that he walk her home.
The night was quiet, except for the occasional passing cab and the hum of power lines, as they held hands and exchanged few words. She felt like a perfect fit, he thought, as she squeezed his hand as if she could hear his thoughts. When they reached her door, both wondered if a goodnight kiss was appropriate, considering it was their first date. Before either could answer the unspoken question, he kissed her cherry lips, and the taste and sweetness enveloped him completely.
They went on several more dates, and exactly eight months after their first, he proposed to her on bended knee in the same restaurant, at the same table, dancing to the tunes of the same piano man until the lights grew brighter.
Mike 2025
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