Chapter 24
May 2, 2026
Boy 1:
“Hi, I made a reservation.”
Maître d’:
“Yes, sir. Thanksgiving dinner for two at seven-thirty. Follow me.”
Boy 1:
“Actually, my friend’s not here yet. She’s on her way. Can I wait in the lobby? Oh—hang on. That’s her calling me.”
“Hello.”
Red:
“It’s cold.”
Boy 1:
“You said you’d wear the boots. And the coat.”
Red:
“I wore a different coat and it’s still cold. You also forgot to mention it was this far from the subway.”
Boy 1:
“It’s round the corner from Exit 4.”
Red:
“It’s up a hill.”
Boy 1:
“It’s the Ritz-Carlton. Rooms should have a view.”
Red:
“You should’ve met me at the exit.”
Boy 1:
“I would’ve. If you’d been on time.”
Red:
“You couldn’t call them, dumb-dumb?”
Boy 1:
“It’s cold. My fingers stopped working.”
Red:
“Arrgh… it’s cold.”
Boy 1:
“Agreed.”
Red:
“Do you see me now?”
Boy 1:
“Yeah. You’re the gorgeous, leggy one, immaculately dressed, struggling heroically with gravity. Not sure about that coat though, last minute decision?”
Red:
“It’s cold.”
Boy 1:
“Yeah. I'm sorry. My fault."
Red:
“Let’s eat. It’s Thanksgiving.”
Boy 1:
“Soon. First, the aperitif.”
Red:
“I don't know what aperitif means.”
Boy 1:
“Your face said as much.”
Red:
“I was born in nineteen—”
Boy 1:
“—eighty-eight. I know. French existed back then.”
Red:
“Look, old man, I haven’t had as much time to absorb information as you.”
Boy 1:
“Ugh. The wine’s cold. What is it with red wine being served at polar temperatures in this country?”
Red:
“Maybe they saw you abandoned me to tackle the hill alone and assumed temperature wasn’t a priority.”
Boy 1:
“And what did they think when they saw the gorgeous girl who the cold asshole abandoned on the hill?”
Red:
“I’m shy.”
Boy 1:
“I think they understood why he waited this long without complaining.”
Red:
“You do know how to talk to a girl.”