She is standing under a streetlight close to the station entrance. The evening is cool and crisp. A beige cashmere scarf wraps her neck, and she is wearing her favorite coat, an oversized wool piece she inherited from her mother. Her cellphone lights up. She looks at the time, then looks back up at her surrounding. A young man wearing headphones walks past without making eye contact, briefly casting a shadow as he turns into the station. People exit an office building across the street and fan out in all directions. She shifts her weight from one foot to the other, then the other.
A familiar red beanie peeks out of the station.
“Hey,” she yells, waving a gloved hand to get his attention.
He notices her and hurries over. “Oh, there you are. How long have you been waiting?” He sounds out of breath, as if he’s just run up the stairs.
“Not long,” she says, trying to sound nonchalant. “Like a couple minutes?”
“Cool! Sorry I’m late, even though I made you get out of bed.”
He reaches his arms out toward her. They hug warmly. He smells vaguely of almonds.
“No sweat.” She’s cheerful this time. “I needed an excuse to leave my apartment. It’s not as cold out as I thought.”
“Yeah, it’s so nice today, isn’t it? Kind of surprising for February.” He flashes a bright smile. She smiles back at him.
“Yeah. Honestly, I hope it stays this way. So where are we going? You said you needed some hardware sensors or something like that?”
“Yes!” he exclaims, as if he’d forgotten the purpose of their meeting. “It’s for this electronics workshop I’m hosting next week.” He looks around, trying to get his bearings. “The store is just… this way I think. No, it’s this way. Yes, that’s right.”
“Ok, I’ll let you lead,” she says.
He starts to cross the street. She walks quickly to keep pace with him.
“No need to fear! I won’t lead you astray!”
“Haha,” she returns his smile. “Okay then.”
“So were you planning to just stay in all day?” he asks as they continue down the sidewalk. They step around a black poodle in a blue bowtie leashed to a signpost across from a cafe. It sits at attention on its hind legs, peering intently into the shop.
“Yeah… I guess so,” she says to him. “I didn’t really have a plan, to be honest. I think I’d probably have ended up watching a TV show at some point.”
“What are you watching these days?”
“I just started re-watching Girls. Have you ever seen it?”
“Nope.” His ope sounds like a bubblegum bursting.
“Oh,” she replies. “Actually, that’s not surprising. Most girls I know have seen it at some point, but probably not most guys, I guess.”
“What’s it about?”
“Hmm, how do I describe it? It’s sort of like a modern day Sex and the City —”
“Never saw that either,” he chimes in.
“Right. Well, it’s about a bunch of twenty-something women who are all friends, living and dating and working in New York. Girls, I mean. But the show is more known for some… er… pretty fucked up relationships.”
“That sounds interesting,” he offers.
A convenience store looms ahead on the street corner. An old man wearing a fedora leans against the wall just to the right of the open doorway, smoking a cigarette. They make eye contact, and he scowls at her, which startles her. She quickly looks away. As they pass the store, she looks back at him. His face is expressionless.
“I mean, at least I think so,” she adds. “And there’s some really terrible decision making, too. It’s a little cringe, to be honest.”
“Interesting,” he repeats. “And people like this show?”
“Won a ton of awards!” she cheerfully responds.
“Huh,” he says, without elaborating. Suddenly, he gestures with his right thumb. “We’re turning up here.”
They round the corner and approach a busy street. A delivery truck juts across the intersection, its front half cutting into the snaking line of traffic. An angry cacophony of horns blare in protest, but the driver looks unfazed, scrolling mindlessly through a cellphone. The crosswalk light is red, but they step into it anyway. Her companion crosses the intersection quickly and purposefully, and she sprints once again to catch up, one hand on her shoulder bag.
“I didn’t know you were into electronics stuff,” she starts when they reach the other side of the street.
“I’ve been tinkering with it again lately,” he glances at her as they continue walking. “It’s been really fun to get back to it after such a long time.”
“What, did you study it in school or something?”
“Yeah, I double-majored in electrical engineering and economics.”
She gasps, genuinely impressed. “Wow, look at you nerd!” She shoves him playfully.
He laughs and tries to shrug off his delight. “Haha, I’m not all good looks!”
“Apparently not!” She grins and nudges him again with her left elbow. He nudges her back. “How did you even manage to graduate? That must have been intense!”
“Wait, didn’t we all stay up all night through college? Was that just me?”
“No, you’re right, that was definitely a rite of passage for every eighteen to twenty one year old in America.”
“It wasn’t too bad, to be honest,” he says. “Time flies when you’re having fun. Or whatever they say.”
“For sure,” she responds. “So what’s this workshop about then?”
“I haven’t totally decided yet, but it’s a beginner workshop. I was thinking of doing something related to internet-connected homes maybe? Like being able to monitor or control things around your house with some fancy sensors.”
“You mean… like getting an alert on my phone when my plants need some water?”
“Yes! Exactly. See, I knew you’d have some good ideas.”
“Oh my god, I need that!” she chirps. “That sounds really fun.”
“Yeah, I hope so,” he replies. They stop to let a cyclist go by. “I’d have invited you actually… but I think you mentioned you had that networking event or something?”
“What networking event?” she asks. “Oh. Next Thursday? Yeah. Ugh, I really don’t want to go, but I do need a new job ASAP.”
“Yeah, that. Your boss still causing you problems?”
“She’s really the worst,” she groans. “I feel like she must get out of bed each day just looking for a fight with everyone.”
“Yeah, she sounds awful. I do not miss those days!”
“You’re so lucky to be doing your own thing now. I wish I could just quit. Anyway, shame that your workshop is the same day.”
“No, it’s on Wednesday. I thought your event was the same day. But we’re at capacity now — there’s even a waitlist. Isn’t that nuts?”
“That’s a shame. I’d have loved to join.”
They stop at a crosswalk. She turns to look at him: “Are you sure we’re going the right way?”
“I’m pretty sure. Wait, maybe not… let me check my phone again. Okay, yeah it’s just across the street. Here we are! Told you I was right.”
“I didn’t doubt you for a second,” she laughs.
“You definitely did!” he laughs back.
They enter the brightly lit store. Rows and rows of electronics spread out in front of them, as if they have suddenly teleported onto the set of a science fiction movie. The store is brimming with activity, with patrons of all ages weaving between the aisles. She walks up to where he’s standing, staring at a large screen on the wall, his finger trailing down what looks like a directory list.
“I’m trying to find where they keep their sensors… Got it! Where’s Aisle 16? I think that’s in the back this way.” He turns left and heads deeper into the store as she trails behind him. “Twelve… thirteen… where’s thirteen? There’s no thirteen. Fourteen… and sixteen is… right here. Sensors! Here they are! Jeez, there’s so many to choose from. Look at these!”
She steps into the aisle next to him and reads the names on the packaging out loud: “These are fun! Temperature Humidity Moisture Sensor. Motion Sensor. Capacitive Touch Sensor. Air Quality Sensor. Wow, you could probably automate your entire home off this stuff. Ooh, look at this one: Proximity and Light Sensor. Now what would I need that one for? For when someone tries to break in to my apartment?”
“You could do some really cool stuff with that one actually,” he muses. “Like a touchless lamp. Or an automatic night light.”
“Ooooh,” she says, drawing out the 'O’s. “That seems cool. Definitely get this one for your workshop. That you didn’t invite me to.”
He laughs. “Honestly, I doubt you’d have enjoyed it. But hmm, I think I’m going to stick with the motion sensors. And maybe the touch sensor. I think those will be easy to get started with.”
“Cool, cool,” she repeats. A teenaged girl sporting a black puffer jacket approaches them. She steps back to let her cut between them. “Are you all set?” she says to her companion. “Should we pay and go?”
“Almost! Let me just make sure I get the right amount. Okay, got it. Where’s the register? This store is like a maze.”
“It really is!” she confirms. She turns to lead the way out of the aisle. They walk toward the front of the store where the checkout registers are located. “You know, this reminds me of when we went to that thrift store downtown.”
“What do you mean?” Confusion furrows his brows.
“I think we were only there for like 5 minutes? You found what you wanted for your halloween costume right away.”
“Hehe, yeah,” he responds. “Why go shopping alone when you can go with company, you know?”
“I keep trying, but these thrift stores keep letting me down. It’s like they’re all colluding against me.” She turns around to see if he gets her joke. He is focused on balancing the sensors in his arms instead. They arrive at the first register, which surprisingly has no line. He tumbles his purchases onto the belt. The cashier begins to scan the items.
“That one had some really great vintage band t-shirts,” he says.
“Hmm,” she ponders. “Not really my style I don’t think.”
“How sick was my Woodstock Deadhead costume though,” he responds.
The cashier finishes scanning the items and waits silently for him to pay. He taps his phone against the screen. “Man, I hope these workshop people appreciate all the hard work I’m putting into this.”
“I’m sure it’ll be great!” she says.
“Yeah! I’m excited now,” he replies. He grabs the paper bag containing his purchases, and they head toward the exit. He opens the door for her, his hand lingering on her lower back as he ushers her out ahead of him. They step out into the brisk evening.
“So what are you up to now?” she asks. “Do you want to grab a drink?”
“Oh,” he says. “I can’t.”
“Oh,” she responds. She looks up at him, the bright lights of the store now a halo behind his head.
“Yeah.”