Compass

Modern Dating

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

All Kurt Vascher saw was shoes when the voice said " Excuse me."

He was on the edge of a park named after…a war hero or mayor or something.

Not his neighborhood.

Sitting on a rock.

Was he being asked to move?

"Am I headed toward Belford…"

The woman pointed the direction she was traveling.

"...or is Belford up there to my right?"

Kurt's easiest answer was " I'm not from around here."

But he hadn't spoken to anyone where he was from in months.

Glanced at dating sites then mirrors then cheap 12 packs, watched some racing, some horror.

He had some vague recollection that Belford was the next major street, ahead about a mile. 

Maybe that's where the emergency vet was when Ethel got hit by a car.

Long time ago.

"Belford is this way," he said, pointing the way she had pointed and saying it with supreme confidence,as though he had laid the Belford asphalt himself. 

"I'll walk with you."

He stood, and as he did, he realized her next words would probably be that's not necessary or no thank you.

He wouldn't blame her.

He knew why he said it but didn't know why he said it out loud.

She said "ok, thanks."

His smile could have melted glass in the brick bungalow across the street.

Holly Mithen noticed the smile.

It was too much, too eager, and that made it sad.

They walked.

Holly was picking up a pair of shoes for an outdoor wedding.

Kurt nodded.

" My brother had an outdoor wedding too," he said.

He didn't mention that he didn't go because his brother didn't pick him as a groomsman and he was pissed.

Holly walked a minimum of five miles a day, without her phone on the advice of her therapist, figured she'd save time by parking downtown and walking to East Drammen, knock out her daily walk that way.

Kurt said "smart idea," and Holly smiled.

Kurt had a rock in his shoe but didn't want to stop,delay Holly, lose the opportunity to talk to her altogether.

He ring-hawked her. Nothing. Small tattoo of the Rebel Alliance logo on her index finger.

Kurt knew what it was, but wasn't well versed enough to bring it up.

He could talk the Saw franchise, Chucky, Scream.

Holly wasn't a beauty magazine type, she was plain, but every square of pavement they walked she became more and more beautiful to Kurt.

She wasn't into technology,only used it at her work.

Kurt asked where,she answered politely but vaguely, he didn't press it.

He was pretty sure the rock in his shoe had drawn blood.

He didn't want to ask Holly to stop. 

He didn't want to show weakness, vulnerability.

Kurt didn't believe in God but was begging every four leaf clover in Ireland that he hadn't been wrong about Belford.

Holly realized all she had done was talk about herself, but the poor guy seemed so lonely, so vulnerable that she was afraid to ask his story.

They could both hear the traffic now. 

Kurt's head was on a loop: Be Belford. Be Belford.

Holly was relieved they were closer to more people. She had casually palmed the pepper spray in her hoodie pocket.

Kurt saw the Belford sign and pointed at it.

Holly smiled.

"Thank you, Kurt. I appreciate you walking with me. It was nice to meet you."

The last sentence was final.

Not see ya around.

Not hope I see you again.

Was. 

Past tense.

Holly walked north on Belford.

Kurt turned south,cut into the alley next to a mattress store.

Sat down between two dumpsters and pulled his shoe off.

His white sock had a red streak.

He put his head against the wall of the mattress store and closed his eyes.

Half asleep with a throbbing foot when his phone hummed.

His mom.

" I have a dentist appointment Tuesday. You're going to have to take the bus to probation."

" That's okay, ma. I got a ride."

Kurt looked at the cut on his foot.

"My…my new girlfriend Holly is gonna take me."

***