A red dress on valentines day

She said a red dress. On valentines day of all days, and I, a nice jacket with a rose in his pocket. How many of us here tonight are living the exact same scenario. I could sit in any of these empty chairs and present myself to the lady in red as her date and they would be none the wiser and my date could mistake me for a random guy sitting in anticipation of meeting his date. It would seem that we all share in our unoriginality as well as our sense of fashion. I can only stand out with my conversation. What am I going to talk about? Hey, what do you do? What do you do? That’s the best I can come up with? I should ask her about her travels. No, then she’d ask me about my inexistent travel life. Waiter! - Yes sir what can I get you? - I’m a bit early I think, could I get a glass of white wine? - any in particular? It’s a good thing I’m having this conversation now because my profile said I was something of a wine expert. I’ll have a malbec, this year’s - but sir that’s red wine - Oh, in that case, bring... surprise me! - certainly, should I bring two for when your date arrives? - ah um yeah sure. Why did I ask for another one? It’s going to be weird if I finish my drink and she sits down with her drink already poured. God, for such a busy place it is quiet enough to hear the other tables’ conversation. 

He sits with perfect posture as he has never done before. The glass of wine whose make was beyond him was warming up in his palms and with each sip becoming harder to down. The opening of the hotel door allows a swift gust to force its way in as the guests grip their coats upon entering. The waiter takes their coats and shows them to their table. The waiter brings them all a menu and an ashtray. The man begins to relax his posture and finishes his drink to calm his nerves. As a lady in red approaches him from behind.

How long has it been? Now I should really take her drink or else she is going to think I’m a weirdo trying to get her drunk whilst I sit here drinkless. I don’t think anybody will notice if I reach over and drink it. Hi, she says in a joyful pitch and such a wide smile. Completely startling me. Oh my god sorry you just caught me taking the drink I ordered for you, I didn’t realise I was early I replied. No, don’t worry I don’t drink wine anyway she mentions as she sits down and adjusts her position. You don’t drink wine? - No why? - You’re profile said you loved wine, didn’t it? - Oh god, what was you’re name? - What’s yours? - Stacy, I think I have the wrong table I’m so sorry. She left but she could have been the one for me. Such plump lips and wide eyes she was stunning. Such confidence. If I had known I would have gone along with it just a little while longer.

Mitch was overcome with both embarrassment and relief but the most anxiety-provoking part of the night, the initial meeting, was over although it was not the correct person it was enough to help Mitch relax. After a while, Mitch begins to wonder whether he should give her a text to see if she’s okay or if sending her a message after only 10 or 15 minutes would seem like a trait of an overly attached individual. He decides to light a smoke and order another glass of wine. 

I’m going to text her. Hi sorry if I come off as impatient but I thought maybe I might have missed you at the restaurant? This wine is terrible, it tastes dry somehow. I should google the reviews, maybe it’s a good wine. Hey, Mitch yeah sorry I’ve been waiting here for a while, I thought you were late. Are you here already? There we go, off to a bad start. My date has been waiting as long as I have and I’m three glasses of wine down and smell of cigarettes.

Mitch starts to turn his head in hope of seeing a woman in red with her phone in her hands. He continues texting her as he gets up and begins to walk around hoping to bump into her spontaneously with his phone in hand. She tells him that she misunderstood the place to meet and that she had been waiting at the bar and he explains that he was at the table. He makes his way to the bar and the lady in red looks over to him exclaiming a sigh of relief with her phone in her hands, exaggerating get expression as to break the ice with a bit of humour. He approaches her and looks over to the waiter who brought him his original drinks. 

Waiter! Could I please get a couple of glasses of Piedra Negra? the white, please. 2009 if possible. The waiter looks at me, trying to mask the shame he is guilting me with through his stare. Fine choice sir, right away! I couldn’t help but feel silly as the waiter knew well and good that I didn’t know the first thing about wine. Hey sorry, I missed you earlier I though… She interrupts me, No it should be me who’s apologising I was on my… to save us both the embarrassment I cut her off as politely as I could Let’s forget about it and toast to a chaotic start to the night, haha - Sir I’m sorry but I don’t have any bottles of Piedra Negra left, did you have another preference? The waiter said with a sinister smile knowing that I had no clue. Before I could muster a response she rescued me, Actually, I prefer red if you don’t mind. What a relief! Sure how about a Malbec? - oh please do, waiter could we have a couple of glasses of Malbec? Not a blend if possible. - Absolutely, I’ll be right back with your drinks. A moment of silence passes as we each think of what to start the conversation with. She looks around awkwardly and breaks the silence So what was it you do again? - Well, actually I… The waiter arrives with the drinks. he pours her glass first and then mine, If there is anything else you need, my name is Geoffery. Just give me a call and I’ll be right with you - Thanks Geoffery I replied. So what do you do? Jeez, I said I wouldn’t start with that one but oh well, it’s out there now. Oh, I thought you would have gone through my social media haha she said with a chuckle and then added Or are you just trying to be polite? - Well, of course, I am just trying to be polite but I wouldn’t mind hearing it first hand haha. I couldn’t remember what she had as her bio. Did she even have anything?

The lady in red and Mitch begin to talk and a glass of wine turns into two and all of the sudden Mitch’s phone starts to ring. He tries to turn the volume down as to not seem rude by looking at it whilst she spoke so he reaches into his pocket and accidentally sets it to vibrate. The conversation flows with the pouring of wine and once again the phone rings. She tells him to check it in case it might be urgent. She made it clear that she wouldn’t be upset.

Oh, thanks, I’ll just see who’s calling and we’ll see if it’s important. - Please it’s no problem. Take it I’ll just go to the bathroom in the meantime. She leaves and I grab the phone as the call ends and the call was from my date. I’ve been sitting with the wrong woman and worse, I’ve left my date waiting. But I’m having a pretty good time with… I don’t think I got her name. Of course, I didn’t get her name or else I wouldn’t be in this mess, would I? A text comes through Hey look I don’t know what the problem was but I wasn’t going to wait forever. I’ve gone home, sorry for wasting your time. I couldn’t believe my luck. 

Mitch gets up and leaves without saying goodbye to his wrong date and begins the long cold walk back to the taxi stand. When suddenly he passes an alleyway and catches in the corner of his eye, the ends of a red dress flowing into a hidden bar. He rushes over and attempts to find which bar it was, there were a few alongside each other. He sees Stacy sitting by herself at the bar and approaches her not knowing exactly of what was to come of this. 

Hey fancy bumping into you again, I’ll admit I did follow you here but only because I thought you were my date, you know the one I confused you with. - oh really? I left because I got stood up and wasn’t going to wait forever. - well, my date did the same thing, I have been having drinks with the wrong girl all night. - you don’t say? I waited for a guy who didn’t even have the courage to call me, so I texted him saying that I was leaving. - the same thing happened to me, do you want to get a drink? Sure, but I’m not having any wine. - no me neither I’ve had at least two bottles this evening and I don’t even like wine. - haha, my date was supposed to be some sort of wine expert. 

Even though Mitch’s eyes grew independent like that of a gecko due to his intoxicated state, a moment of clarity took over and he excused himself for a moment whilst he went to the bathroom and called his original date and looked at Stacy. Her phone rings and she answers with her back turned but her eyes fixed on Mitch’s through the reflection in front of her at the bar.