#19

he'd done it before. you meet a girl online. "what a great guy" she'd say "just so nice, and we talk about everything!"
then they met. what else was there to talk about? true to the female nature, she would sit uncomfortably, racing through scenarios in her head, wondering if he thought her dress was too loud, or did her armpits smell, assuming that he hated her hair, second-guessing herself- should she have ordered a salad? and he would become bored, annoyed with the female psyche, wishing she would know he was happy to be out with anyone at all.

this time, he would get it right.
she fell for him, she was involved, so interested, but they had never met. it was right where he wanted her. she was invested, wanted to meet him, on the verge of thinking she could be in love... but not there yet.
he went to the restaurant an hour before they were supposed to meet. he was not wearing the color of suit he had suggested. his hair was not blonde and he was actually taller than 5'11".
He watched her enter. She scanned the room nervously and finally accepted a table. the waiter brought water. then lemonade. then something a little stronger.
finally, he made his move.
"excuse me, are you alone?"
"no... well, yes. I was waiting for someone." she played with the napkin in her lap. "i don't think he is coming."
"not coming? he must not know what he's missing. may i sit?"
she agreed, and thus began his plan. he knew it would work this time. the online man would be another one to chalk up as a loss. "but!" she would tell her friends. "even though i got stood up, I met the most amazing man." and her imminent heartache would be reversed by this mysterious stranger.

he knew a woman could never really fall in love unless she felt she had been saved.