out from one of her kitchen cabinets. “I think it’s a good
choice. Thank you.”
“So, this is your place.” Doug stuck his hands in
his pockets and wandered around the living room. “I like it.”
“I’m in the midst of redecorating. I haven’t
settled on a color yet.”
“Black and white go with everything, but then you
get the whole zebra thing. I like that you have the cool blue lamp and stuff. I
still have the post-college bachelor pad theme going. If my roommate had his
way, the whole place would be decorated in camouflage and beer posters.”
“I guess my decorating isn’t quite as bad as I
thought then,” Quinn joked. “I’m ready if you are.”
“Do you like Japanese food?”
“I do.”
“Great. I was a little nervous since it’s not for
everyone, but I remembered we all did sushi after one of our study breaks in
college and you recommended different things for everyone to try.”
“I can’t believe you remembered,” Quinn said.
“I have a confession to make,” Doug said. He held
the door open for Quinn. They made their way down the stairs to the front door.
“I had a bit of a crush on you back then.”
“Why didn’t you ask me out?”
“You were dating some guy on the lacrosse team who
will probably end up being a senator or somebody important. I’m just an average
guy from a small town in southern Virginia.”
“Well, he ended up being a first-class jerk, so he
lost my vote if he does run. I kind of like average guys from small towns.”
Doug flashed her a huge grin. With a flourish of
his hand, he waved to the small sedan in front of him. “Your chariot awaits,
madam.”
Doug drove them to Yoshimoto’s on Sandstone
Avenue. Quinn was inwardly pleased when Doug took her suggestions on new dishes
to try and he even recommended a white wine that he thought might go well with
their choices.
Quinn laughed at Doug’s stories of his middle
school students’ antics and she regaled him with stories of her travels with
Uncle Patrick.
Later, as they drove to the Altria for the
evening’s performance, Doug maneuvered through the city’s traffic while singing
cheesy karaoke tunes from the nineties. Quinn laughed so hard she hiccupped.
“Stop! You’re killing me,” Quinn giggled. “Oh my
gosh. Remember the time Tyler Owens ended up passed out and naked in the middle
of the field?”
“Yes!” Doug said. “He didn’t show his face for a
week afterwards, poor guy. I’m glad it wasn’t me. We had some crazy times,
didn’t we?”
“Yeah,” Quinn said. She sobered slightly.
“Sometimes I wish I could go back and be that carefree. I don’t think I
realized how hard it was going to be to figure out life and career and
everything else after college. They should teach a class on that at the university.
How to Survive After Graduation 101.”
“Shoot,” Doug said. “Half of our class would have
flunked out. I’m lucky. I realized I’d picked the wrong major and switched to
education. Best decision I made.”
“I thought I’d chosen the right career with
journalism,” Quinn said with a touch of regret.
“Hey now. No heavy thoughts on the first date.
Rule number one of dating Doug. Date nights are for fun, not for deep
thoughts,” Doug commanded. He pulled into the theater’s parking lot.
“So you’re saying that you want shallow waters
from your women,” Quinn joked.
“I want my women to be puddles, not rivers,” Doug
shot back. “I like ‘em purty without a lot of stuffin’ in them thar heads.”
“Oh, Dougie, you’re so manly,” Quinn said in her
best imitation of Betty Boop.
“Thank you kindly, ma’am. I aim to please,” Doug
said in a cowboy drawl.
“Maybe we should both be on stage tonight with the
rest of the actors because that was a first class performance.”
“Thank you. Thank you very much.”
“I’m having fun,” Quinn said. They made their way
quickly to their seats. The stage lights flashed to signal the show would
choice. Thank you.”
“So, this is your place.” Doug stuck his hands in
his pockets and wandered around the living room. “I like it.”
“I’m in the midst of redecorating. I haven’t
settled on a color yet.”
“Black and white go with everything, but then you
get the whole zebra thing. I like that you have the cool blue lamp and stuff. I
still have the post-college bachelor pad theme going. If my roommate had his
way, the whole place would be decorated in camouflage and beer posters.”
“I guess my decorating isn’t quite as bad as I
thought then,” Quinn joked. “I’m ready if you are.”
“Do you like Japanese food?”
“I do.”
“Great. I was a little nervous since it’s not for
everyone, but I remembered we all did sushi after one of our study breaks in
college and you recommended different things for everyone to try.”
“I can’t believe you remembered,” Quinn said.
“I have a confession to make,” Doug said. He held
the door open for Quinn. They made their way down the stairs to the front door.
“I had a bit of a crush on you back then.”
“Why didn’t you ask me out?”
“You were dating some guy on the lacrosse team who
will probably end up being a senator or somebody important. I’m just an average
guy from a small town in southern Virginia.”
“Well, he ended up being a first-class jerk, so he
lost my vote if he does run. I kind of like average guys from small towns.”
Doug flashed her a huge grin. With a flourish of
his hand, he waved to the small sedan in front of him. “Your chariot awaits,
madam.”
Doug drove them to Yoshimoto’s on Sandstone
Avenue. Quinn was inwardly pleased when Doug took her suggestions on new dishes
to try and he even recommended a white wine that he thought might go well with
their choices.
Quinn laughed at Doug’s stories of his middle
school students’ antics and she regaled him with stories of her travels with
Uncle Patrick.
Later, as they drove to the Altria for the
evening’s performance, Doug maneuvered through the city’s traffic while singing
cheesy karaoke tunes from the nineties. Quinn laughed so hard she hiccupped.
“Stop! You’re killing me,” Quinn giggled. “Oh my
gosh. Remember the time Tyler Owens ended up passed out and naked in the middle
of the field?”
“Yes!” Doug said. “He didn’t show his face for a
week afterwards, poor guy. I’m glad it wasn’t me. We had some crazy times,
didn’t we?”
“Yeah,” Quinn said. She sobered slightly.
“Sometimes I wish I could go back and be that carefree. I don’t think I
realized how hard it was going to be to figure out life and career and
everything else after college. They should teach a class on that at the university.
How to Survive After Graduation 101.”
“Shoot,” Doug said. “Half of our class would have
flunked out. I’m lucky. I realized I’d picked the wrong major and switched to
education. Best decision I made.”
“I thought I’d chosen the right career with
journalism,” Quinn said with a touch of regret.
“Hey now. No heavy thoughts on the first date.
Rule number one of dating Doug. Date nights are for fun, not for deep
thoughts,” Doug commanded. He pulled into the theater’s parking lot.
“So you’re saying that you want shallow waters
from your women,” Quinn joked.
“I want my women to be puddles, not rivers,” Doug
shot back. “I like ‘em purty without a lot of stuffin’ in them thar heads.”
“Oh, Dougie, you’re so manly,” Quinn said in her
best imitation of Betty Boop.
“Thank you kindly, ma’am. I aim to please,” Doug
said in a cowboy drawl.
“Maybe we should both be on stage tonight with the
rest of the actors because that was a first class performance.”
“Thank you. Thank you very much.”
“I’m having fun,” Quinn said. They made their way
quickly to their seats. The stage lights flashed to signal the show would
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