2005-07-24 - 6:54 a.m.
Turner was sitting on a floor cushion at one of the �atmospheric� low tables when Lia came in. She had her hair down. He realized it would be terribly awkward to stand up and give her a welcome kiss on the cheek like he�d meant to. Damn. CCC. Continuous casual contact. ABC was what he�d heard in college. Always be closing.
�Hey. Did you find this place okay?�
�We�re right on Haight. I�ve passed this a thousand times, although I�ve never actually gone in.�
�I know it would have been slicker to pick you up. Just, y�know. No car.�
�Where would you park here?�
She sat down on a pillow across from him, stretching over to give him a peck. Wow. Her tall frame folding up to sit was like seeing dance. He wondered how she moved so gracefully.
�I�m told they have good veggie food here. But I really don�t understand how you live with no meat.�
�Oh, I manage. Don�t get me started on a no-meat tirade. And it�s not like we�re in Texas here. They make really good burritos with cactus leaves at a place right down the street. We went there a lot in high school.�
�Cactus leaves. I can�t say I�ve ever indulged.�
A waiter came and kneeled next to the table. Turner thought it was a little forward, but he supposed it was necessary with such a low table.
�Can I start you off with some drinks?�
Lia looked a little uncertain again. It almost seemed like she expected to get carded. Maybe she wasn�t 21. �Uhm��
�We�ll both have the spiced red wine.�
�Very good. Would you like a hookah?�
�Isn�t that for after dinner?�
�Very good. I�ll bring the menus with your drinks.�
�Hookah?�
�They�re sort of into the schtick here. There�s a belly dancer later. You don�t seem like a hookah kind of girl.�
�Well. Not tobacco.�
�Oh?�
�Come on, it�s a regional specialty. It�s practically mandated by law. You?�
�A few times in college.�
�Where was that?�
�UCLA. I grew up down there.�
The waiter came with their wine and menus.
�I hope you�re not a Dodgers fan.�
�Sorry. And the A�s are kind of growing on me.�
�Hmm. We�ll have to change that. Have you been to Candlestick?�
�Not yet. You want to go?�
She furrowed her brow when she smirked in a way that made him think of the ocean like her hair. �Maybe. We�ll see.�
�So why did you come up here?�
�I�m not sure. To find myself? Isn�t that why everyone moves to California?�
�Sunshine and oranges. You�re already from California.�
�Oh yeah. Well I�d move back East, but I�ve heard it gets cold.�
�Making a fresh start?�
�Something like that.�
Lia raised her glass of wine. �To new beginnings?�
�Yeah, to new beginnings.�
They clicked and drank.
� 2005 Geoff Gladstone
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