The Switch

THE SWITCH

         "No Cindy, I've already told you I won't do it!" Amber flopped onto the bed and watched as Cindy paced the room.

         "Please Amber, you've just got to do this for me! I can't take another night like the last one! The guy was sloppy and totally obnoxious. He talked to my breasts the entire night! I don't think he even knew I had eyes. Besides he wore this musky cologne that was so strong my eyes watered for hours after I got home."

         "Well, maybe it was that bad. But Cindy this blind date could turn out different. You'll never find the right one if you don't muddle through the wrong ones too!"

         "Please Amber, I'll do anything just, please take my place tonight?"

         "Ok. But if I do this for you, you have to help me paint my condo this week."

         "Aw, come on, anything but that! You know that I hate to paint!"

         "Ok then, better go get dressed for your date now." Amber grinned at the look of horror that crossed Cindy's face.

         "Ok.  I'll paint! But I won't like it!"

         "Fair enough. So where am I meeting this guy? What's his name?"

         "His name is Peter Calhoon. You're meeting him at Gino's at 8:00. That is two hours from now, so if you leave right now you'll have plenty of time to change." said Cindy as she pulled Amber to her feet and toward the front door.

         Amber got into her silver Mazda and drove to her condo on the northwest side of town. As she reached her door, she heard the telephone ring and hurried to unlock the door. She walked quickly to the phone and picked it up. A dial tone, I guess they'll call back if it's important she thought with a shrug. Then walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower.

         An hour later Amber was ready to go, dressed simply in her pale green dress that matched her eyes. Her thick, curly, auburn hair pulled back with a simple gold clip. Amber grabbed her black lace shawl and black purse then headed out the door. She locked the door and started down the hall when she heard her phone ringing again. Amber glanced at her watch, decided she doesn't have time to go back and answer it. Let the machine pick it up she thinks as she enters the elevator.

         Half ‘an hour later she pushed open the front door to Gino's, the best Italian place in town. The aroma of fresh baked garlic bread made her mouth water.

         "May I help you miss?" asks the attendant.

         "Yes, I'm meeting Peter Calhoon. Is he here yet?"

         "Are you Cindy Porter?"

         "Um, yes that's me." Amber lied nervously, wondering how the attendant didn't see right through her dishonesty. She felt as the word 'LIAR' was tatooed on her forehead.

         "Mr. Calhoon left a message for you, he's running late, you are to meet him in the bar."

         "Thank you very much." Amber took a deep breath and entered the bar. She could see only two men at the bar. One looked slightly unkempt and possibly already drunk. The other man, seated at the very end of the bar, was partially hidden in the shadows. She slowly made her way over to the bar and sat down. She turned to the waiter and ordered a glass of white wine.

         "Hello miss, may I join you?"

         Amber turned and looked up into the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. Extraordinary eyes, deep brown with golden flecks. She couldn't seem to break eye contact with him, even though she knew she was being rude. "Excuse me?"

         "I asked if I could join you." The stranger asked with a grin.

         "Are you Peter?"

         "Yes I am. Now may I have a seat?"

         "Sure, sorry, please have a seat."

         "And your name is . . . ?" Peter asked cautiously.          

         "Why it's Cindy of course, why would you have to ask?" Amber asked nervously.

         "Just wanted to make sure, that's all." Peter replied with a shrug.

         "Shall we go eat now?"

         "Whatever you would like, I'll go tell the waiters we're ready for our table."

         After they had both ordered and the waiter had moved away, Peter reached across the table and placed his hand on top of hers. Amber snatched her hand back quickly, feeling as if she had just been touched by lightning.

         "There's no need to be nervous, Cindy. I promise I won't bite." Peter said with a slight smile.

         "Sorry. I'm just not used to blind dates. Maybe if I knew a little more about you I could relax a bit." Amber stammered slightly.

         "What would you like to know?"

         "Tell me something about you and your family. What do you do for a living? Things like that, isn't that why we're here, to learn more about each other?" Amber asked with a slight smile.

         "All right then, let's see. I was born in St. Louis, May 1967. I have two younger brothers and a younger sister. My parents are still together after thirty-five years of marriage, and still completely enamored with each other. My brothers are both in the military, and my younger sister just graduated college to be a teacher. Now it's your turn."

         "Ok. I have one younger sister who's a stay at home mom to two beautiful little boys, my parents are still alive but they divorced just after I finished high school. I work as a copy editor for a small magazine here in town and completely love my job."

         "What about a favorite color? Favorite kind of music?"

         "My favorite color is green. I listen to all kinds of different music, depending on my mood. What about you?"

         "My favorite color is blue. I listen to a lot of different types of music also but my favorite style would have to be classical, Mozart and Bach especially."

         Amber listened mesmerized by Peter's voice, deep and yet soft at the same time. She was sure she could listen to it all night. By the time dinner was over she was feeling very guilty for switching places with Cindy. Amber took a deep breath knowing that she needed to tell Peter the truth before she got any more involved with him. And that was exactly what she wanted, to be more involved with this charming man.

         "Peter? There's something I need to tell you."

         "What is it?" Peter asked, concerned at the sudden serious look on her face.
         
                "This is really hard for me to explain. My name is not Cindy.  It's Amber. Cindy is my best friend and I agreed to switch places with her tonight."
                Peter looked down for a minute then took a deep breath. "Well Amber, there is something I need to tell you too. You see I'm . . . "

         "What is going on here, Cindy?" asked the man standing beside their table. "What are you doing with this guy?"

         "Excuse me? Do I know you?" Amber questioned the man carefully.

         "I left a message to meet me in the bar that I was running late."

         "Who are you?" Amber asked slowly, afraid she already knew the answer.

         "I'm Peter Calhoon. We were supposed to have dinner tonight, remember?"

         "You're Peter?" asked Amber as she looked at the man standing there, then looked across the table at the man sitting there. 

         "Yes, I'm Peter. Did you forget about our date or did you decide that you just couldn't wait to eat?" The real Peter asked sarcastically.

         "I'm sorry Peter but my name is Amber not Cindy."

         "But the waiter said you told him you were waiting for me, that your name was Cindy."          

         "I know. It's kind of a long story. The short version is, Cindy didn't feel well tonight and asked me to take her place."

         "I guess I'll be going then, sorry for interrupting." Peter whispered softly.

         Amber watched thoughtfully as Peter walked quickly away, his head bowed slightly.

         "Amber?" the man sitting across from her said gently. "That was very kind of you to let him down gently like that."

         She turned her head slowly around to face him, her expression letting him know that he had just said something incredibly stupid. Shaking her head she asked, "Who are you?"

         "My name is Paul Fisher."

         "Why didn't you tell me that right away?" Amber said, her eyes filling with tears.

         "Because, you were waiting for a man named Peter. I'm not sorry I lied, but I never meant it to hurt you. The minute you walked through the front door I couldn't take my eyes off you. I had to meet you, talk with you, anyway I could. I know we just met, but I feel like we made a connection. We have that spark Amber, don't you feel it too? This could be the best thing to happen to either of us, if we let it. Will you give me another chance?"

         Amber looked into those wonderful eyes, and saw what could possibly be her future. So with a small smile on her lips she said, "Why don't we take a walk?"

         "Where would you like to go?" Paul asked carefully, afraid of what she would say.

         "To get coffee." Amber stated simply, smiling secretly to herself.  She looked up at Paul, as he paid for dinner and he looked back. In that moment Amber realized that her switch with her friend was the best thing that ever happened to her. Maybe Cindy wouldn't have to paint after all, she thought with a smile. Then, accepting Paul's arm, she walked into the cool night air.