“Huh. That’s … wow.” Not a very impressive comeback, true, but it’s late, the man’s got car troubles, and the clock is ticking. Plus, a beautiful girl is staring at him, which has always been a point of great befuddlement to him. Well, welcome to the club. How many men have shown great aptitude at running multinational corporations or leading armies across vast deserts, only to drop to their knees like blundering Cub Scouts at the first sign of tit?

“Car trouble?” she offers sweetly. Searching for her keys.

“Yep. Brand-new and already … actually, I think it’s my own fault,” he confesses, holding up his open palms. “Left the parking lights on or something.”

“Well, that’s refreshing.”

“What, to see a man screw up?”

“No, to hear one take the blame!” she laughs. A smile that would melt the heart of a marauding warlord. The man has no choice but to laugh along with her. He is smitten.

“I’m just that kind of guy, I suppose,” he chuckles. “That’s me all over!”

“Hmm, poor thing. Now what can we do about this?”

“I’ve been trying to …”

“I’d run back inside for you but I’m sure nobody’s got cables in there. My car’s always konking out on me. It’s a junker,” she offers matter-of-factly while pointing at a dented Chevy Citation at the far side of the lot. A rusty orange with an out-of-place white door on the driver’s side. “I can give you a ride if you need one.”

“That’s very …” He doesn’t finish this thought because it is such a lovely possibility that he refuses to let it die just yet. A quick look at his watch helps him back to his senses. “I really need to get my car back to my …”

“You don’t wanna leave it here, is that it?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

“Don’t worry, I understand.” She nods, pointing with her purse toward his wedding ring. He’d forgotten to take it off when he went inside, which is usually a ritual with him. He quickly slips his left hand into his jacket pocket, trying to be casual about it but falling way short.

“Right,” he mutters.

“So, listen, why don’t we …” She looks around and studies the landscape for a moment, like some gorgeous Indian scout. That Pocahontas woman or the one who ended up on the coin. He secretly wishes he had paid a bit more attention in school now so he could make a joke about this but he lets it go. Follows her eyes as she studies the horizon.

“You know what? Why don’t we just push it over there to that gas station, ’cause they’re open all night. If we do that, then you can have them charge your battery and everything and I’ll give you a lift.”