I wrote a post a couple of days ago for my FOWC response, and just felt like developing this thread a bit, so I wrote this one yesterday, and a third last night,which I publish here. It’s good just to take the theme and to run with it for a while. And I feel almost obliged to write at least one more after this one.

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Only the next day, Asha was out again, but this time she was not glammed up. This time, she had the down-to-earth task of taking the rubbish bin from the kitchen out to the main bin at the front of the house.

“Did you enjoy your take-out?” came a voice. With slow comprehension, she recognised the man from the night before. “Ummmm….oh, yes. Sorry, still half asleep”, she muttered an excuse. “Oh, I’m sorry about last night. You know you just have nights when all you want to do is get home? I didn’t spill any of my take-out on you, did I?” After assuring her that he had been fine, the man continued. “We’re neighbours, you know. I’m just down at 54. I only moved in about a month ago, and I’ve seen you around few times.”

54? That was only five doors away.

– Hi, I’m Asha. I’d shake your hand, but I’ve got crap on it. I was just taking the bin out.

– No worries. I’m Lew.

He seemed very chilled out.

– Hi, Lew. Good to meet you. What ya doing?

– Oh, nothing really. We’ve got nothing in the house, and I got the short straw to go out and get some milk.

– Did you enjoy your meals last night?

– Oh, yeah, that place is really good, isn’t it? We’ve never been out there before and I’m glad we’ve got somewhere so good on our doorstep.

– Yeah, I think Giros is pretty well-known, it’s good food, just not every night. We’ve lived here almost 3 years, it’s my favourite place for a take-out.

– Three years? What do you do, then, Asha?

– We came here for our last year at uni. We liked it and some of us stayed here. That was two years ago. I’m a gimp with a fund manager. What about you?

– Last year at uni. North London, out at Finchley. Web design. Me and some other guys are renting this place for the year.

Asha vaguely knew the campus, although she did not get up that way much.

– Oh, I know it. I go up that way every now and again.

This was enjoyable. Both had things that they ought to be doing, but both were happy to put them off for the moment.

– So, what went so wrong last night, then? Or shouldn’t I ask?

Asha deliberately chose her words carefully.

– Oh, I was meant to be meeting some guy, and let’s just say, when I got there he was a bit of a let-down.

– Blind date? I hate them. I’ve got three sisters, they try to set me up all the time, but they never work out. What’s worst, you know after two minutes that they’re not right, but you kind-of feel obliged…

– Oh, don’t worry, I didn’t feel obliged. I got out of there fast as I could. It was just a pity I’d had to travel so far.

But all the same, Asha was reluctant to go into further details. Sensing that the encounter was almost at an end, but wanting it to continue, Asha threw the dice one last time.

– Look, I was just about to brew up some coffee before I carry on in the kitchen, and we’ve got plenty of milk. I don’t suppose you’d like to come in for a latte, would you?