David Gardiner is a novelist (SIRAT) and story writer, and has dabbled in talking books and interactive stories. The story you are about to read is one of his most popular. You can find more of Gardiner's work and more about the man himself at http://davidgardiner.net.

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When Lisa had first arrived at the shopping centre, fifteen minutes early, her worst fear had been that he was going to stand her up. She knew that it would hurt if this happened, it would make her feel ridiculous... and pathetic.... and.... cheap, she had thought. Like the kind of girl who has to throw herself at a man, who has to use classified advertisements, who doesn't get asked out. But of course that was the kind of girl she was, wasn't it?

The reason that she had chosen somewhere so public and so ordinary, a wooden bench by a fountain in the foyer of a City Centre shopping arcade, was in case this might happen. If she had had to sit by herself in a restaurant or a bar, and he hadn't turned up, all those eyes would have been watching her, judging her. But here - why here she could sit as long as she wished, or simply stand up and walk away. Nobody would pay the slightest attention. She could be waiting for a girl friend, or just resting her feet. She felt almost.... invisible.

Now that she had been there for a while, and the actual agreed time for the meeting was drawing near, she began to worry that he would show up. She was by no means at ease with herself about what she was doing. Rationally she knew that it was a very sensible and honest thing to do: to take control of her own life and go out and find somebody, to simply say what she wanted and see if anybody was willing to offer it. But in her heart of hearts she felt a kind of shame. She was beginning to wish that the whole thing was over and done with. And she was on her way home to her own little room and her own comfortable, single bed.

An even more appalling thought had occurred to her. What if he came to have a sneak preview before committing himself? What if he was one of these men standing around, reading their newspapers, searching for their credit-cards, rearranging the shopping in their carrier-bags, waiting for wives and girlfriends to return from the shops or the toilets or who-knows-where....? He could easily pretend to be passing the bench and take a little peek. Then if he didn't like what he saw he could walk on... she would never know. It was horrible. Maybe at this very moment she was on display, like a cow at a cattle-market, being assessed, weighed-up, considered as a worthwhile prospect... very likely being rejected.

She looked at her watch. Two minutes to go. No, more like one-and-a-half. She wondered if the device was really as accurate as that. Probably not. The moment might have come and gone already, or it might be three or even five minutes into the future....

She stopped herself. This wouldn't do. She was becoming paranoid. She must calm down and try to relax, try to approach the situation like an adult. It was only a first meeting with someone who had sounded perfectly all right on the phone. She hadn't been nervous then. He had been easy to talk to. What was she worried about? She was being silly. She made a deliberate effort to make her breathing slower and deeper, and to stop fidgeting with her handbag. That's better, she told herself. That's much better.

"Lisa?" The voice came from behind her, almost next to her ear, and it made her start. "Lisa Cooper?"

It was a kindly voice, and when she looked around it was a kindly face that met her gaze.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have sneaked-up behind you like that."

"No, not at all, it was silly of me... my mind was miles away..."
As she spoke he made his way around to the front of the bench and smiled down at her. She realised that her heart was racing slightly now. He was a lot better looking than she had imagined him! Taller, thinner, younger, better dressed... better in every imaginable way! Now she began to worry that he wouldn't like her... Stop it, she commanded herself. This is ridiculous.

"Sam Levin" he introduced himself, although of course she already knew his name, "May I join you?"

"Oh yes! Of course. Please do."

Now I'm sounding too keen, she said to herself. Oh, why can't I just relax and be natural?

For a brief moment, neither of them spoke. They were looking at each other eagerly, with barely concealed fascination, but trying to do it tastefully, without seeming to stare.

"Am I... as you expected?" he asked with a broad smile.

She was flustered by the question. If she told the truth it would sound too forward... "Yes," she replied hesitantly, "pretty much. What about me?"

"Better in every way. Younger, more attractive, more vivacious... a bit daunting, to be honest. You're better than I deserve."

She laughed. "Oh, please! We've only just met... you're embarrassing me!"
"Sorry. I take it back. You're fat and ugly."

She laughed again. He was charming. So charming. And so natural! Why couldn't she be natural like that? "I... I've never done this before, you know," she said hesitantly, then instantly regretted having said it. It sounded such a cliché, and he probably wouldn't believe her anyway, and besides - what did it matter to anybody whether or not she had done it before? It only mattered if she was ashamed.

"I have," he replied, breaking her train of thought, "but nothing ever came of it. They really were fat and ugly. No, that's unkind. They just weren't for me. I told them so. I was quite open about it. I mean, the chemistry is either there or it isn't, don't you think?

"So... you can decide as quickly as that? After one meeting?"

He considered the question. "I think I come to decisions quite quickly about most things. Whether or not they are always good decisions is another matter."
She paused. "And... you've already decided about me, have you?"
"I've decided that you're beautiful, charming, desirable... but of course as you say I don't really know you yet. You might be a mass-murderer or a raging Neo-Nazi. But I would be willing to compromise on things like that." She laughed a little too loudly, then the embarrassment flooded back.
"Why don't we go somewhere and eat?" he suggested with a smile that would have made her knees buckle if she had been standing up, "Somewhere quiet, where we can talk?"

He offered a hand like a knight in a fairy-tale, and she stood up and accompanied him out towards the car-park while he held her elbow, like Prince Charming leading Cinderella on to the dance floor.

[To Be continued..."]

Next week, the conclusion.