The Prettiest Woman

“Just bottled water.”

He rose to his feet and quickly got what I requested. I sat and stared out of the window as I waited for him to return.

“You look exactly like your photos.” he said as he sat next to me. “Actually you look even better, I’m impressed.”

“Glad to hear it.” I smiled.

“So do you live in this area?” He asked.

“No, I live in the Bronzeville area, I go to school downtown.”

“Nice, what school?”

“I go to DePaul.”

“See, now I’m really impressed.”

I laughed, “I take it that you like DePaul?”

“Absolutely, it’s my alma mater. I bleed white and blue.”

“Now that I’ll have to see for myself.” I giggled.

“I like that.” he said as he looked at me intently.

“Like what?”

“Your laugh. It’s really cute.”

“Thank you.”

So far our little meeting was going well. I realized he was an average guy.

“So what do you do for fun?” He asked.

“Honestly I don’t have much fun. I work a lot so I don’t have time anything else.”

“What a pity. Maybe I could help you out in that area.”

“Maybe.” I said uncomfortably.

“I can’t believe that you aren’t enjoying yourself. This should be the time of your life. I did nothing but party when I was in undergrad. I drank a lot, fucked a lot and went to class when I wasn’t hung over.” he laughed.

“Must have been nice.” I said with a lack of enthusiasm.

Of course he was able to be an idiot in college, he was probably rich then, too.

“It was more than nice! It was amazing.” he said with excitement. He obviously hadn’t picked up on my sarcasm. “One time me and my friends got so drunk that we pissed in Buckingham Fountain. It was like three in the morning and it was a dare. I even have photos. See, times like that are priceless. You have to make those kinds of memories now because when you enter the real world, it’s over.”

It seemed apparent to me that he still wasn’t a part of the real world. Either that, or our worlds were just too different. Never in my life would I pee in Buckingham Fountain and think it was funny. What kind of person would do something like that? It was downright disgusting. My mom would whip my ass if she ever found out that I did that and it didn’t matter how old I was. Shit, she would probably haunt me from her grave if she were dead.

He talked about his college shenanigans for the next fifteen minutes and I was less than impressed but I smiled and nodded, as instructed.

He pulled a $100 bill out of his wallet and slid it over to me on the table. I discreetly picked it up and slipped it into my handbag. I felt like I was making a drug transaction and cops were going to burst in and arrest me at any moment. But it was the easiest hundred that I’d ever made in my life.

“Thanks.” I replied in a whisper.

“You’re very welcome. I’m really enjoying your company. Would you be willing to accompany me to an early dinner? I’ll give you another $100.”