Misdialed Date

Chicago 2005.

It was a mid-summer day. The sky was as gray as a billionaire’s suit, and the sun refused to show its smile.

A pounding echoed through Amy’s apartment.
“One second,” Amy called, barely cracking open the door. Dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, she juggled the door knob and battled her rebel hair with her free hand.

“What are you doing here so early?” she squinted at the familiar face.
“Early? It’s almost eleven,” Dan replied, nudging the door open and striding in as if he owned the place. Clearly, he was no stranger to Amy’s apartment or her couch.

“Yeah, but do you remember how late you dropped me off last night? I went to bed at ‘this morning o’clock’.” Amy yawned, trailing Dan to the living room.

She peeked outside, noticing the sky screaming an overcast mess.
“This isn’t beach weather, is it?” Amy observed the trees bending in the wind like a morning yoga pose gone wrong.
“Nope. Looks like we’re not the only ones hungover. But we can do something else,” Dan suggested, already commandeering the remote.

“Coffee first. I need to wake up,” Amy declared, holding her index finger and heading to the kitchen.
“And maybe a bagel?” Dan called, settling into the couch like it was his living room.

“How’s George? He ended up driving Rita home, right?” Amy’s voice floated over the sound of brewing coffee.
“Did he? Man, he was smashed.” Dan flicked through channels.
“I hate when he drives like that,” Amy muttered. “The party was nuts, and George got totally wrecked.”
“Good for him. First big night since his breakup,” Dan replied.
“I know. After everything with his ex…” She paused, considering a thought.

“Do you think he hit it off with Rita?”
“What?” Dan’s eyes were glued to the TV.
“Maybe he’s still at Rita’s?” Amy teased, walking back with two steaming cups of coffee.
“You think they… no way. They just met,” Dan scoffed, accepting his cup.
“I don’t know, I got a vibe,” Amy smirked, pulling out her Motorola flip-phone. “Let’s see.”

She dialed, putting on her best ‘Rita’ voice.
“Hi George, did I wake you? Just wanted to thank you for last night…” Dan’s eyebrow arched in surprise as he listened to Amy’s voice, a perfect imitation of Rita’s, turning more flirtatious with every word.

“Are you busy tonight?” There was a long pause. George talked while Amy was nodding.
“We should totally go rollerblading later.” Amy winked at Dan, who was watching her with his jaw wide open. “Great. Pick me up at 5.” A short pause. “Okay, see you then.”

Dan nearly spit his coffee.
“He can’t think you’re actually Rita, can he?” Amy hung up, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “He’s got a rollerblading date with ‘Rita’ at 5 tonight.”
“No way. He fell for it?” Dan laughed loud and hard, disbelief coloring his tone. “This is gold!”

*

George parked his Altima outside a modest single-story house, the smallest on the block, with a well-tended lawn surrounding it. He checked his hair in the rearview mirror and headed for the door.

It was exactly 5 o’clock. He rang the bell and waited with anticipation.
“Hi,” Rita greeted him, not stepping aside to let him in.
“Hi, ready for rollerblading?” George asked, his body shifting nervously from one foot to another.
“Rollerblading?” Rita looked puzzled. “No, I can’t. I’ve got other plans. You should have called earlier…”

George’s face fell as he stood awkwardly at her doorstep, mixed feelings swirling within him.

Both stared at each other in silence for a moment. Something was off.
“But you called me about it this morning…”
“I didn’t call you today at all,” Rita frowned.
Flustered, George apologized and retreated to his car. What else could he do? His anticipation dissolved into a confusing blend of disappointment and embarrassment.

He was about to start his car when his phone rang.
“Rollerblading, huh?” Amy teased.

George groaned.
“It was you? I thought Emily set me up.”
“Nope, all me. Sorry, George, I got carried away. I owe you a big apology—I’ve gone too far.” Amy’s voice softened, yet she struggled to stop laughing. “I can’t believe you fell for this!”

George shook his head, even though Amy couldn’t see him.

“Come over, I’m ordering pizza,” Amy added.
George sighed. He couldn’t decide whether he should scream with anger or laugh. He put the key in the ignition and drove off.

Amy and Dan couldn’t stop cracking up as they awaited George’s arrival to clear the air and get a full story.

“You two watch out; just wait for my comeback,” George grumbled as he walked in. “I’m warning you. You have no idea what is coming at you,” he announced, unable to suppress a smile at the absurdity of it all. “I mean it.”

“Good to see you without your rollerblades,” quipped Amy, extending her arms to hug George. “Please, don’t be mad at me.”

“You ordered pizza; I brought beer,” said George with a smile, closing the door behind.

---

Author’s Note:
Meet the real Amy and George—they are actual people. In fact, I’m Amy, and George is my friend Matt. This is the only picture I could find of us from many years ago. We are standing in water, awaiting alligators (at least that’s what the tour guide told us). What you don’t see is the boat on the other side, filled with a bunch of ‘chickens’ too scared to step out, including Dan, who took this picture. And finally, yes, I really did set up that rollerblading prank date. 🙂