I faltered, because I didn�t immediately recognize I was the one being spoken to. Awkwardly, I leaned
back on my barstool slightly and turned toward the voice, expecting maybe to be asked for the time.
�Oh, you don�t talk to strangers, huh?� She was smiling at me, clearly interested, which baffled me. How
had she made her selection based on my hunched backside?
�Uh...� was all I emitted, completely taken by surprise.
The cute young blonde mimicked, �Uh,� then flashed a super wide smile which made me think of
blowjobs, and giggled.
I chuckled uneasily. �I, uh, wasn�t really prepared for any type of conversation tonight.�
She moved close enough to put an arm around my back. �Aw, rough day?�
�N-no. Well, yes. No, I guess not. I mean,� I sighed, feeling I was losing ground already, �the place I
usually go for burgers on Wednesday night caught fire...this place was nearby....�
�Ooh,� she said, pouting, offering a little hug. �I see. Buy me a drink?� The smile returned full wattage.
�I-I�m not usually in the habit-�
She grabbed one of my hands for study. �Married?�
�No!� I startled her with my abruptness. �Recent,� I explained. �Just recently...divorced.�
�Gee,� she said, and while outwardly trying to seem unhappy for me, inside she was relieved. She reached
over to the plate I�d been busy excavating and selected a crinkle-cut French fry to nibble. �Want to start a new
habit?�
Two hours later I was on my sweaty back with nothing to protect me from the drafty apartment�s clammy
chill but a thin sheet draped haphazardly across my legs. The blonde stood to my right, rehooking her white bra
with some difficulty. She dropped beside me on the creaky mattress and pulled her hair forward over one shoulder
so I could assist. She was petite, energetic, and a bit rougher than I liked in bed. It astonished me how she�d only
been looking for a decent fucking and chose me solely by my general build and clean-cut looks.
�You�re different, Richard.�
Was that what I�d told her my name was? �How so?�
�Oh, I dunno. You�re so quiet. Like there�s too much on your mind. Not just your divorce...I dunno. And
this place is a wreck�nothing like what I expected. You strike me as more of a business-man. A young
professional. Someone who lives in an artsy bachelor pad, can tone it down, but still live it up. Y�know?�
I wasn�t quite following her. While she fumbled with her dress and considered how she was going to
spend the rest of her evening, I lazily plucked at a glob of fat from my midsection, suddenly unhappy about the
weight I�d gained since Rache and I had split up.
�Not that this,� she started, gesturing, �or you are unattractive. It�s just that...this doesn�t feel like you.�
She flipped her hair forward toward her toes for a good brushing underneath. �Whadja say you do for a living?�
Had I made up something about that, too? �Uh...I lied. I�m between jobs now.�
She flipped her hair back up and snorted. �That�s wrong. There�s potential in you. Get yourself out of this
pit and get back on your feet again. Things�ll get better for you. She obviously wasn�t worth this.�
I�d been considering becoming a police officer. Of course, I�d have to work hard to get myself back into
any kind of shape, but I figured my mind-reading abilities ought to make me an appealing candidate. Then I�d be
quick to ditch this crummy East Side apartment-
The little blonde retrieved her vinyl purse from beneath the bed and waved as she headed for the door.
�Hey,� I called, rolling onto my side to face her. �I didn�t catch your name.�
�You don�t catch names, silly,� she said, standing in the doorway, smiling back at me. �You catch
stars�then you keep them close to your heart forever. My name is Angel. I�m your good-luck angel.�
