It’s a Thursday evening, therefore the contemporary restaurant in midtown Manhattan is mobbed. a new girl goes to welcome her buddies but pauses. “Are we nevertheless kissing regarding the cheek?†she asks. (the clear answer seems to be a tentative yes.) A man in a grey suit whips out a container of Purell. “You could offer that for $100 on Amazon,†somebody close to him jokes. The gray-suit man laughs and walks away, clutching their bottle near to their upper body. a hand that is unattended sits on dining table, appropriate close to a cappuccino, eyed covetously because of the individuals nearby. Somebody coughs. Everybody cringes.
Meanwhile, my date is later. We fiddle through my clutch to discover something I’ve brought him: a mask, jammed between my secrets, wallet, phone, lipstick, and Purell. He travels a whole lot for their work, and I also thought it might be a funny present. But possibly it is maybe maybe maybe not. Or simply it is a reflection of my personal anxiety. This might be just our 2nd date, and yes, he travels a great deal. Wait, must I worry?