Men Are Clueless

"Hi, is this spot taken?"

"No. Please. I've seen you before, you spend a lot of time in the park."

"Thanks, my knees hurt. I come here to walk and remember. I've seen you here too with your girls; six and eight? They're beautiful, like their mother. Sorry if I offended."

"Claire is seven and Angela is eight, I'm Evelyn and thank you, you didn't offend, I don't get many compliments like that."

"That I find hard to believe Evelyn. I'm David, would you like something cold? And the girls? It's hot."

"Yes, we'd like that."

*****

"Hi Evelyn, it's a beautiful day and the girls are really enjoying it."

"They like your stories, you always make them feel good. And you buy them ice cream, that helps."

"I enjoy them. My wife's been gone for two years and all our kids are grown, but none live close. I love teaching children and watching the wonder they exhibit learning new stuff."

"Well they love hearing it all from you. Angela is still blown away about being made of star dust and each hand from different stars. She stares at her hands a lot."

"How about dinner tonight? A couple steaks and whatever the girls want. We can try that new place downtown."

"The girls too, but..."

"Of course the girls, I love having them around. I love them."

"Uhh...okay...at seven?"

*****

"Keeping up with the girls at the beach exhausted me. At sixty I'm not what I was at thirty."

"You were great. Body-surfing at sixty, huh, I thought fifty, but you do have a forty-two year old son."

"Paige had three kids when I married her, two girls and a boy. I married four people. They all became my kids and they still take care of me. Mostly that was belly-flopping."

Well I'm impressed. I'll be thirty-two in December. It's been hard. Their father was killed in Pakistan the day Claire was born. A hell of a birthday gift."

"It's late and were all tired, I'll go and call tomorrow. Thank you for dinner and coffee, you're a good cook. Would a goodnight kiss on the cheek be appropriate?"

"I think a real kiss would be appropriate."

*****
"How was dinner?"

"Good. What time does the babysitter have to be home?"

"Ten."

"Good, there's time."

"For what?"

"I have something to tell you. It may be a problem, I hope you don't take it the wrong way."

"What? Just tell me, I'll understand."

"Okay, its...Uhh...I don't want to offend you..."

"Just say it!"

"I'm in love with you."

"I wondered when you'd finally get around to telling me, it's been seven months since we met. That's going to make our Portland trip a lot more fun."

"What?"

"I've known for months you fool. I already made reservations for a week next month. I was hoping you'd ask me."

"Months? But..."

"Men are so clueless! Kiss me . . . clueless."

"But...."

"Just kiss me."

"...yes dear."