Unleash the Girls

Norine looked at me and said, “This is crazy! Here we are, two single women in D.C. on a Friday night, and we are going to order room service? No! We should go out!”

“Of course. You are right,” I said. “But I am too tired, really. All that standing and talking today; then walking. I’m a short hitter, I’m afraid!”

“Oh, come on, Lisa! It’s D.C.! Let’s go see what’s going on out there! It’ll be fun!” Norine urged. I could tell she was trying to convince herself as much as me. I didn’t say anything in response; I hated clubs and the loud noise that passed for music in those days—we both did, really.

“I’m hungry. But let’s not order in. Let’s go down to the hotel’s restaurant and then, after dinner, see how we feel.”

 That was our compromise—we would go downstairs for dinner. And the universe turned fate’s wheel another notch.

“I’m going to wear my new sunglasses,” I said as we headed out our hotel room.

“Oh no! You can’t!” Norine said, horrified, willing me back into the hotel room to put back my flashy new glasses.

“Yes, I am!” I said turning away and proceeding to the elevator. I pressed the down button and put on my crazy sunglasses.

“Oh, Lisa, what am I going to do with you! You take them off before we go into the restaurant, or I’m going to pretend I don’t know you! I won’t go in with you!” And laughing, we rode down the elevator.

The hotel restaurant wasn’t very busy. As we approached the maitre’d, I kept on my sunglasses. With a big grin, I requested a table for two, though Norine was hanging back, way back. Well trained, the maître d’ seated us without cracking a smile or a comment.

But the table next to us did.

There sat three attractive men, their finished dinner plates in front of them. They took one look at us, and the conversation began.

“Where did you get those bee-yoo-tiful sunglasses, may I ask?” one of them inquired. “May we buy you both a drink?” another asked.

I could go into all the silly details of the ensuing evening. They were in town on business from the Midwest.  We ate. They talked. We talked. We all flirted. There was a lot of laughter. They were nice guys. Music came on in the adjoining bar and we all went in and danced together. It got late and I had to go to bed. Norine, however, had met Scott.

A year or so later, when they got engaged, I gave them those sunglasses as a silly engagement present. They sat on their fireplace mantel for years.