The blind date

Benjamin was nervous, he pushed open the café’s front door stepping in, his eyes scanned the room. He headed for the end booth like he had planned, relieved it was free. He is a regular. One of the staff members smiled at him. “Hello, Benny. How are you?” “Good thanks Madge, how are you?” he smiled anxiously. “Just great darl, your booth is free. I will bring down your cappuccino in a minute” she rushed past holding two plates of waffles stacked up high, slipping past him with confidence to the other end of the room. the café was quite big. The booths were those old leather red and white seated lounges with matching red tabletops. It was like stepping into the 50’s. He loved the busy atmosphere. the music, the smell of the coffee beans and the house made special - maple syrup pancakes with bacon on the side.

He sat down and fidgeted with the sleeves of his blue flannel shirt, looking over at the front door. He took out his phone, opening up the dating app to read through the messages again.

Blind-date: “I have short dark hair. Tall and thin, I will wear something green”.

Benjamin: “I will be the one sitting at the end booth wearing a black baseball cap”.

Blind-Date “Ok.”

He then started fiddling with his cap, it was an old baseball cap he had worn since high school. It suited him, his sideburns now riddled with little grey hairs accentuated his features. He kept thinking to himself to remove it. But couldn’t. She wouldn’t know who I am. Though Benjamin annoyed with himself for deciding to dress so casually.

Her username was Roses-R-Red, 34 years old, no profile photo. loves cappuccinos, rainy afternoons and her favourite book is The Great Gatsby.

He wasn’t too picky about it as Rose was the only woman he matched with and who had messaged him back.

Madge brought down his coffee as promised, gave him a wink when he looked up from under his cap then she quickly turned away on to the next booth.

Benjamin put his head down staring at his coffee, the aroma flooded his nostrils. He picked up the spoon and sugar when he was suddenly startled. A woman sat in front of him. She seemed particularly nervous. She fixed herself several times in the booth as she placed her large handbag on the table to the side.

Her hair was short, jet-black with a neat straight fringe. She had pale milky skin; he then noticed her dark green coat. This was the woman he had been waiting for. He was impressed. She wore black shades which was quite strange to see inside, but she slowly took them off looking around the room.

“Good morning” he said finally with a welcoming grin.

“Hello” she spoke “I’m sorry I’m late. You have to excuse me I’m nervous I have never done anything like this before” she blurted out without a single breath.

“It’s quite alright” Benjamin assured her. “I’m new to this as well”.

She gave him a strange look “oh I certainly hope not, you must be joking, oh you mean meeting up, of course you’re probably used to just over the phone stuff” she laughed a little looking up at the crowds of people in the room again.

Benjamin chuckled. She must think I am some pervert, Benjamin thought dishearteningly. he quickly changed the subject. “ How are you? have you had a busy week? I can get you a cup of coffee if you like” he put up his hand and gave Madge a wave, He pointed at his cup twice and nodded. Madge knew exactly what he wanted and nodded back at him.

“Oh thank you, yes I’m tired.” she trailed off “very busy week I suppose. lack of sleep, just been running around like a mad woman getting organised”. She said looking down at her handbag.

The woman looked a little worn out. Her eyes puffy like she had just woken up, but she was lovely. pleasing to the eye he thought to himself. He smiled at her. “you look nice, if I may say so”. “thank you, I really don’t know how these sort of things go. Um. I suppose I should tell you a bit about the reason in this decision, it really wasn’t easy. I’m a little short then what I told you over text, I’m sorry”.

Benjamin was a little confused but assumed she was talking about why she is single or wanting to date again, yes, that’s probably it, and her height well that didn’t bother him at all. He nodded and waited for her to continue to speak. He thought he should be a good listener and not talk so much about himself. At least, that was the advice he was given by his friends.

She kept looking down and then back up at him, scanning his face.

Suddenly they were interrupted by her phone ringing in her handbag. It was the sound of bell chimes it rang continuously, getting louder and louder.

“Oh, I’m sorry I have to take this call, excuse me,” she quickly went for her handbag pulling out an old flip phone. Benjamin picked up his coffee and had a sip.

“Hello, oh yes thanks for calling me back. I just needed”. she paused to listen. “Yes. Mmhmm” she looked away from the table. With her other hand she reached into her handbag and started taking things out placing them on the table in front of her. Lipstick, a small packet of gum, cigarettes, a few hair ties and a small bottle of perfume.

This woman has a bottomless bag he thought to himself watching on. He sat patiently.

She pulled out a brown paper bag that was all folded neatly with its contents clearly full and placed it down gently. She looked at him and then looked back at the bag, still on her phone. “Yes. Oh, lovely that sounds perfect” she added a slight laugh. One at a time she put everything back into her handbag not really paying attention still on the phone. She lowered it down slightly and said, “I have to go; I suppose I will hear from you in time, I will be more prepared I promise.”

Benjamin confused, said nothing. She got up and quickly walked away out the front door without even looking back at him.

How terrible. The old phone trick he thought. “Wow This is embarrassing.” He put his head down and sighed. when he rose his head again, he noticed she had forgotten the paper bag “oh no”, he grabbed it and ran after the door pulling it open. He poked his head out, looking both ways of course she was nowhere in sight. “Hey benny, you’re not doing a runner on me?” Madge called out, her voice stern. He was halfway out the door. “No sorry. I.. all good” he came back inside and sat down again and decided to open the paper bag. To his surprise there was a huge stack of cash, His mouth was wide open, He quickly looked around the café. He closed his mouth and placed the bag in his lap. Looking inside again, “what’s this...?” He reached in and pulled out a little black book. Good hopefully it has her address in it, he assumed. I can send it back to her. Suddenly his phone beeped. It was a message from Roses-R-Red. Oh good she knows she’s lost it, he thought. Benjamin opened the message and read carefully.

Roses-R-Red: I’m so sorry to have stood you up today. I feel awful. But I just couldn’t bring myself to meet. I hope you can understand. Sincerely Rose.

His eyes widened. Well then, who was this strange woman he had just met?

Benjamin continued to sip on his coffee and opened the little black book, hoping to find her address inside.

It was mostly blank, finally he found a page with writing on it. Scanning down the page, there was a few names, descriptions, addresses and phone numbers. I suppose this is a phone book thought Benjamin.

But there was only four people listed. And to Benjamin’s surprise. One of them had the same name of an old high school mate. They lost contact with each other over the years. His name is Joe Pike.

This day is getting weirder and weirder he thought to himself. “I wonder”… he grabbed his phone and typed the number, pressing the call button “this can’t be him, surely” he said preparing himself… ring ring, ring ring..

“Hello this is Dr Pike speaking” “Pikey!? Joe Pike? its Benjamin Morrows, I hope I have the right person… we went to school together”. he paused. “oh wow, yes I remember you, it’s been what? 27 years... how are you buddy?” “I’m good thanks, and what, you’re a Dr? I’m impressed” “yeah who would have thought” he laughed Joe was a bit of a goof always a class clown. He never took school seriously back in the day. Neither did Benny.

“I came across your number in the strangest way, I can’t believe it’s you, this woman left her phone book here. I just had, what I thought was a blind date, but it was the wrong person… ”. Benjamin snickered.

“Oh right, well there’s plenty more around you will bounce back, who was she? I suppose I know her.”

“You know what, I can’t recall even getting her name.”, bringing up his hand to his forehead, feeling silly. “I think we should meet if you’re not too busy that is? I think you should see something”.

Joe, enthused, “right well of course I’d love to catch up with an old friend, you pick a place I’m free today actually, the rest of the week I’m terribly busy. I will send you my location hopefully I’m not too far from you.”. the phone beeped he looked down; a text came through with a map. His location is 2 hours away.

Benjamin stuffed the paper bag in his glove box, on the drive over he couldn’t stop thinking about the woman at the café.

They arranged to meet halfway. By the time Benny got there it was now late in the afternoon, they chose a pub to have a drink.

Benjamin had a chance and counted the money. there was more money in that bag then he had ever seen. He decided right there that he would not tell Joe about the money. It would only complicate this peculiar reunion even more.

Still in disbelief he entered the pub, sat at the bar, and ordered a scotch.

Joe arrived, he was tall slim and fit. He wore a crisp white collared shirt and suit pants, he looked after himself. Benjamin had made some poor lifestyle choices and that was clear to him now, he was comparing himself to Joe.

“Hey there old man”, Joe smiled and went in for a hug, he pointed at Ben’s little grey hairs in his sideburns peeping from under his cap, “You’re still wearing that old thing?” Joe tugged at the brim of Benny’s cap playfully.

“Get out of it” they both cracked up.

“I will have what he’s having please” he spoke to the bar attendant. Benjamin pulled out the little black book and placed it on the bar in front of Joe. “Do you recognize these other names?”

He picked it up and opened it. Finding the page with the list of names including himself.

“Oh….” Joe frowned. “this is ... I know these people...” He flipped through the rest of the book frantically.

Joe’s heart started pounding. He stopped and stared up at Benjamin, his face pale white with fear.

“What Joe? what’s wrong?”... Benjamin grabbed the book from his hands.

Written on the back page. He read the words make them suffer, kill them all.