As Chad stood with his head bowed low, he stared at the heap of flowers growing like a blob from outer space, and it occurred to him that he ought to show up for his date with a bunch of flowers in hand. A Korean girl approached holding a small arrangement of red roses wrapped in cellophane. Chad stepped in her path and said he’d give her twenty bucks for the flowers. She had a thick accent which made it difficult to understand her answer, but Chad was pretty sure by the way she shook her head back and forth that the answer was no. How about fifty? A Korean boy stepped between Chad and the girl, arm raised as if prepared to push Chad away. She say no. But fifty dollars; that a lot of money for a coupla roses. Flower no for you. For sister. Fuck off. Chad backed away with his arms raised in a conciliatory gesture. At least that’s what he thought the gesture conveyed given all he’d learned from police procedurals on TV.
Chad turned to the great wall of flowers and watched a woman lay down a spring bouquet. Chad decided it was a good thing he hadn’t gotten roses from the Korean girl. Roses were presumptuous; on a first date, spring flowers were more appropriate. They spoke of the potential for new things. They were a metaphor (which is something sensitive men know all about), in this case, a metaphor for the potential that a dinner would lead to new things like sex.
Chad knelt near a collection of tea light candles that had been snuffed out by a gust. He took up one of the candles as if he meant to light it, looking left and right to see if he was being watched. When he judged it was safe to do so, he set the candle on the ground by the stems of a fresh bouquet. He stood and looked around him, squinting, thoughtful, as if searching for a better place to lay his flowers. Maybe here by this stuffed bear. Maybe there beneath the sentimental words that had run like tears down a square of cardboard. He backed from the wall and turned to the sidewalk.
Hey! Put those back.
Wha … ? Chad did his best impression of a befuddled innocent.
You stole those.
No I didn’t.
You’re a liar. I saw you.
You’re wrong. These are for—
You’re a liar and a thief.