I'm sitting in a restaurant and shamelessly eavesdropping on a pair of women in the next booth who are whining about the inadequacy of their intimate lives. Fortunately, I have my laptop so I can take notes.
One of them (for convenience let’s call her Melissa) was complaining that, "The guy I'm dating asked me to pay for dinner the other day because I make more than he does. I was like Oh my God! I don't know if I want to date this guy!" This young lady has since had at least three glasses of wine and is now alternating between saying, "I'm like OMG" and "Fuck this!" tearfully to make her point. Such exclamations are also punctuated by rusty-can cackles that have been increasing in frequency. I am close to asking her why she dates such substandard men if she is aware, to this extent, of their limitations but my Protestant upbringing is a powerful inhibitor.
A strapping youth has just arrived- I think his name is Todd or it is now anyway- and is telling stories about Buffalo wings and baseball. Tears are now flowing. Everyone is ignoring Todd and making soothing sounds in the direction of Melissa. I think Melissa needs a hug. I'm not volunteering but I hope someone steps up.
Melissa has just confessed, "It's scary!". I’m not sure what is scary- being foolish or dating substandard men, The other woman whose role so far has largely been restricted to listening and clucking sympathetically just tremulously served up this gem- "Can we like drop this shit?” Todd has spoken too. "Trump is not cool!" and then it's back to separating flesh from bone with his fingers and teeth.
