Is She too Conservative

Anna stared into the mirror. She was wearing pants and a shirt which covered her whole body. She knew the viewers would be watching. Usually, she had a cloth over the mirror. All they would see is blackness but today she had a date. She wanted to make sure her makeup and hair were right. Her bracelet and necklace matched the turquoise shirt. She looked very conservative. She would pass the viewers' test but what about her date

He was artsy and fun, but she didn't look fun. Her smile was fun. Fun would be blue shimmering eye shadow, but that was not her.

She figured she looked okay. She returned the cover to its place, over the mirror. She made her way to the screen. No messages from her date. A meal out and then maybe he could come up for a glass of wine. He liked Merlot. She was going to surprise him with a version of a song he had written. He had mentioned it to her on their last interaction on the screen. She had dressed even more conservatively on that occasion, and he had asked her on a date. This would be their first date. After all their conversations she felt they knew each other pretty well.

Now the worst part, the wait. He would be on time. She had dressed too quickly. She walked over to the drink machine. She pressed a button and skirted into a glass a shot of Kahlua and Vodka. She then poured in a dab of half and half - and then filled the glass with milk. If the drink machine had made the drink it would have left out the cream. She sipped on her drink and went out on her porch to wait. She gazed down at the alley. She had given him the code to her door. Anne's friends all knew her code, to the side door. If her buzzer ever rang, she knew to ignore it.

She knew not to drink the White Russian too quickly. That would just lead her to make another one. It was the taste she craved, not the alcohol. She could do without the feeling that followed. But today she did not grow numb. She did not laugh at nothing. She would be in tune with her date.

He arrived half an hour early. He knew she would be waiting. She saw him enter the side door and heard the ringing which indicated that the code had been used. She worried that she was dressed too conservatively, but she smiled when he walked through her door.

"You are early" Anne chirped, giving him a kiss on the cheek. " Thank God"

He smiled-he took her hand." I was pretty sure you'd be ready."

"Yes, I feel like you know me pretty well. " She felt a little shy, not conservative at all.

"Would you like to go for a walk, we could walk to the restaurant? "

Anne's eyes gazed over this cute young man. His hair was almost as long as hers. Her mother would have hinted that the two of them would make pretty babies.

Anne didn't really want to have babies, but she would like to try to make babies. After having an incision of course. Incisions had been proven to be the most effective form of birth control.

Anne took his arm." Yes, let us go for a walk." She pressed the code to lock the door. The alley was empty. Anna leaned her head on his shoulder as he talked.

All of a sudden he removed her arm and put his arm around her shoulders.

He might have sold a painting. Some civil servant had asked the price. He had wandered into Andy's studio- with his younger girlfriend. She had liked the painting, and so the gentleman had hinted that she might get it for her birthday. He was supposed to call him tomorrow. Andy wasn't sure the gentleman would actually buy the painting, but having someone show a serious interest was definitely a physiological upper.

The restaurant was one of her favorites. The hostess seemed to know Andy. Anne watched their interaction. Andy introduced the two women. Anne smiled and said hello to Chrissie. Chrissie was so bubbely. Anne felt happy as they approached their table.

It was a low table surrounded by pillows. The table was set, and there was food on the table, waiting for them. She smiled- he had preordered. They both slipped onto their pillows.

In the center of the table were five kinds of Sushi and a plate of Escargot. Her eyes popped with delight. Had she mentioned that these were some of her favorite dishes? Wow, she felt like she was floating on her pillow. Her head was light. She was having trouble following the conversation.

Andy pulled the curtain around them. They were sitting in complete privacy. Her body tingled. She was not nervous, just overly happy.

Andy seemed so calm. She noticed that his shirt was partially open. Her concentration shifted again. He noticed her flightiness and asked what she was thinking about. "Oh, " she blushed " I was just noticing the hair on your chest. I have never dated a man with hair on his chest. I was just looking"

He smiled. He was happy that she considered this dating. Most women only liked him as a friend or a brother. They were quiet as they ate their first course. Anne kept watching him. but he did not feel nervous. He felt happy in her gaze.

He pressed a button, and Chrissie appeared with an empty cart. The dishes were removed from the table and the second course arrived. A large plate of Greek Salad and a pile of pita bread. Another one of her favorite dishes. " Oh my God, I love this" she squelled.

"Oh good, I wasn't sure if I should have asked you first. I don't usually decide every aspect. I just wanted to surprise you. I am glad you are happy."

The next course was dessert. They brought a cart of desserts for them to select their own.

When they were done he signed the screen, and the money was taken from his account.

He took her hand as they left the restaurant. It had grown dark. She gazed up at the sky. Every night the same stars. But they still seemed to amaze her. "What do you think of the sky?" she asked. "They're like diamonds" he responded.

Each section of the city had its own cluster of stars. Every evening at seven pm. they appeared like a painting. But nobody could paint on the sky. She always wondered how it looked exactly the same.

"We could go to the roof where I live, and drink Merlot" she ventured. He hugged her, "Are you sure you don't want to go see a movie?

She was not sure. The neighborhood had a nightly movie. She had never gone. "They have a band tonight, and yes we can get a glass of Merlot"

The band was playing when they entered the room. It was her neighborhood yet her date was the only person she knew.

All of a sudden a glow filled the room. It was coming from the screen. The movie was about to start.

Anna was thrilled. The start of the movie was views of the stars. But it was not the stars in her area. They looked like shiny orbs. Not diamonds but multicolored gems. Anna wondered if they were the planets. She had heard about them but didn't know anyone who had actually seen them.

The screen all of sudden showed fields of grass. Much more grass and larger fields than she had ever seen. Next, they showed the mountains. Huge boulders covered with snow. Her date actually looked bored.

She was an average 2040's girl. But Andy, he seemed to expect more.

When they reached her door, he gave her a kiss and a hug and said he'd call her. She went to her apartment, poured some Merlot, and went to the roof. She gazed at the stars, they mesmerized her. It had been a perfect first date. Or so she thought. She would just have to wait and see if he called.