one.
Mark smiled. “No, you’re just rather transparent
when you’re pleased with something. And even more so
when you’re not.”
After a long period of deliberation Janine settled on
a nineteenthcentury hand-colored print and a sheet of
illuminated manuscript. Mark arranged to stop back
and buy an eighteenth-century star map later in the
week. As they were leaving the shop he said, “One of
the nice things about this shop is that it’s open on
Sunday. Very few are.”
Janine nodded, thinking that Mark could be very
pleasant when he wanted to be. His next comment
startled her. “Have you ever had Greek food?” Mark
asked.
Janine shook her head. “No. Why?”
“There’s a good Greek restaurant around here.
Would you like to try it?”
Janine did a quick mental calculation. She had
changed a traveler’s check on Friday and had enough
left if the place wasn’t too expensive. “Okay,” she
replied.
The streets were crowded and Mark held Janine’s
arm to guide her. “I think you’ll like this place,” he was saying when he suddenly halted. Then, just as
inexplicably, he started walking again and, to Janine’s
question, said, “For a moment I was worried that
maybe you wouldn’t like the place after all since the
food tends to be fattening. Then I remembered you said
something about wanting to gain weight.”
Janine laughed. “You’ve got a good memory.”
The menu was posted in the window of the
restaurant and Janine noted with relief that the prices
were quite reasonable. As the waiter seated them Mark
suggested, “Should I order for both of us?”
“Please,” Janine answered. “I have no idea what
anything is.”
She leaned back as the waiter led Mark to the front
of the store to choose the main dishes. The restaurant
was small and dark and Janine felt much more at ease
than she had in the restaurants Sandy had taken her to.
When Mark returned he explained the various dishes
he had ordered. “I also ordered wine. I hope you don’t
mind,” he said.
“Of course not,” Janine replied.
Mark leaned back and said, half apologetically, “It’s
not as fancy as the places Sandy takes you to but it’s
rather nice.”
“I think I prefer it,” she said honestly. “I always feel
slightly awkward in fancy restaurants. Besides, I feel
guilty that Sandy is spending so much money on me.”
Mark snickered. “Sure you do. But you manage to
soothe your conscience by telling yourself Sandy can
afford it. And by being nice to him.”
“That’s not fair!” Janine said hotly.
She broke off as the waiter appeared at the table
with a salad. She glared at Mark silently while he watched her with amusement. When the waiter left he
leaned forward. “The solution is simple, you know.
You can always pay for your half of the meal and you
could ask to go to less expensive restaurants.”
“Don’t you think I’ve tried?” Janine demanded.
“Sandy won’t let me pay for anything when he’s
around. The one time I succeeded it was because we
were going to take a tour boat and I ran ahead and paid
for the tickets before he could stop me. He’s got this
thing about women paying for things-claims it looks
bad. And since he pays for dinner he says he has the
right to choose the restaurant.”
“Well, if you can’t help it, why not relax and enjoy
yourself?” Mark said reasonably.
“Because I feel as if Sandy is trying to buy me bit by
bit!” she exploded.
“I see,” was all Mark said as he regarded Janine
steadily.
Troubled, Janine began eating quickly, avoiding his
eyes. After a moment, Mark joined her. For a while
they talked about neutral subjects such as the food. It
was sometime later that Mark said, “You know, maybe
I was wrong after all. Maybe you and Sandy wouldn’t
be suited. In which case you should ease off a
little… see less of him.”
“I wish,” Janine said quietly, “that you would keep
your nose out of my
Mark smiled. “No, you’re just rather transparent
when you’re pleased with something. And even more so
when you’re not.”
After a long period of deliberation Janine settled on
a nineteenthcentury hand-colored print and a sheet of
illuminated manuscript. Mark arranged to stop back
and buy an eighteenth-century star map later in the
week. As they were leaving the shop he said, “One of
the nice things about this shop is that it’s open on
Sunday. Very few are.”
Janine nodded, thinking that Mark could be very
pleasant when he wanted to be. His next comment
startled her. “Have you ever had Greek food?” Mark
asked.
Janine shook her head. “No. Why?”
“There’s a good Greek restaurant around here.
Would you like to try it?”
Janine did a quick mental calculation. She had
changed a traveler’s check on Friday and had enough
left if the place wasn’t too expensive. “Okay,” she
replied.
The streets were crowded and Mark held Janine’s
arm to guide her. “I think you’ll like this place,” he was saying when he suddenly halted. Then, just as
inexplicably, he started walking again and, to Janine’s
question, said, “For a moment I was worried that
maybe you wouldn’t like the place after all since the
food tends to be fattening. Then I remembered you said
something about wanting to gain weight.”
Janine laughed. “You’ve got a good memory.”
The menu was posted in the window of the
restaurant and Janine noted with relief that the prices
were quite reasonable. As the waiter seated them Mark
suggested, “Should I order for both of us?”
“Please,” Janine answered. “I have no idea what
anything is.”
She leaned back as the waiter led Mark to the front
of the store to choose the main dishes. The restaurant
was small and dark and Janine felt much more at ease
than she had in the restaurants Sandy had taken her to.
When Mark returned he explained the various dishes
he had ordered. “I also ordered wine. I hope you don’t
mind,” he said.
“Of course not,” Janine replied.
Mark leaned back and said, half apologetically, “It’s
not as fancy as the places Sandy takes you to but it’s
rather nice.”
“I think I prefer it,” she said honestly. “I always feel
slightly awkward in fancy restaurants. Besides, I feel
guilty that Sandy is spending so much money on me.”
Mark snickered. “Sure you do. But you manage to
soothe your conscience by telling yourself Sandy can
afford it. And by being nice to him.”
“That’s not fair!” Janine said hotly.
She broke off as the waiter appeared at the table
with a salad. She glared at Mark silently while he watched her with amusement. When the waiter left he
leaned forward. “The solution is simple, you know.
You can always pay for your half of the meal and you
could ask to go to less expensive restaurants.”
“Don’t you think I’ve tried?” Janine demanded.
“Sandy won’t let me pay for anything when he’s
around. The one time I succeeded it was because we
were going to take a tour boat and I ran ahead and paid
for the tickets before he could stop me. He’s got this
thing about women paying for things-claims it looks
bad. And since he pays for dinner he says he has the
right to choose the restaurant.”
“Well, if you can’t help it, why not relax and enjoy
yourself?” Mark said reasonably.
“Because I feel as if Sandy is trying to buy me bit by
bit!” she exploded.
“I see,” was all Mark said as he regarded Janine
steadily.
Troubled, Janine began eating quickly, avoiding his
eyes. After a moment, Mark joined her. For a while
they talked about neutral subjects such as the food. It
was sometime later that Mark said, “You know, maybe
I was wrong after all. Maybe you and Sandy wouldn’t
be suited. In which case you should ease off a
little… see less of him.”
“I wish,” Janine said quietly, “that you would keep
your nose out of my
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