FOR THE FUN OF ITClair

It was going to be a wonderful day. It had started off great with a cool breeze blowing in the morning and the weather reporters forecasting a lovely weather all day long. Clair Simon was inspecting her wardrobe again and again in order to select just the right piece of attire for the blind date she had that evening.

All her clothes were lying scattered all around her plush house. She wasn’t particularly a cleanliness or tidiness freak. Well with the arrogant beauty she possessed she never had to be exceptionally careful about things other than herself. For other things, she had always had one or the other guys, completely hung on her and willing to do ‘everything’ for her.

But Paul had been different. Unlike her string of so-called liaisons, Paul had been a serious involvement. But Clair had messed it up. Unable to hold on to Paul forever, she had decided to not let the hurt bother her for too long and thus she got herself registered for this online dating site.

Jack

An online dating site, very convenient! It was the easiest way for Jack Eisenhower to meet women. The profiles intact with a photograph attached, saves a guy like him time in searching for ‘just-the-right-girl’. He had been going for several such dates but none of them ended on a pleasant note. He had the same expectation this time.

He always did a background check on the prospective date. His desk job allowed him the liberty to search in-depth in order to look for the right kind of characteristic traits he wanted in his date.

He arranged all the data in a neat folder marked in red-- ‘IMPORTANT’ and proceeded on with his daily chores.

Jack believed that a perfect relationship existed just like his mom and dad’s; who met on a date and realised that they were made for each other. He still wondered what went wrong…

Clair

Clair took forever to decide on the red dress she finally chose to put on. She looked stunning with the matching jewellery she wore. Earlier that evening Clair had her bouts of depression when she missed Paul madly and tried to call him desperately. She ended up leaving a message on his answering machine YET AGAIN. Clair did not have much hope with the date she as going for. Her emotionally exhausted eyes were evidence enough for any onlooker to guess that the woman’s mental presence at the spot was illusory. Nina, her childhood friend, called her at 5 p.m. to remind her about the date. Nina had a way with words, so said everyone about her.

Pepped up after the talk Clair started looking forward to the date. The online profile said that her date was a corporate professional just like Clair and was interested in jazz music, unlike Clair. “Hmm…at least he looks

very impressive.” Just the way that appealed to Clair. “A rebound perhaps…” Clair was still hopeful of getting a call from Paul.

Jack

He walked around his immaculately clean living room, waiting for the clock to strike 6. That was precisely the time when he would start off to meet Clair; he liked to be dot on time. He was ready. He had bought a bouquet of 13 red roses. He was dressed in a formal suit and was setting his briefcase.

Clair

She decided to tidy her living room. For the sake of common courtesy she would have to invite her date inside and he just might agree. She leisurely began the task, hardly expecting her date to be dot-on-time when the clock struck 7. The door bell rang.

Jack

Jack drove his SUV to Clair’s place and parked it right outside her gate. It should take him 20 minutes. He was now getting the adrenaline rush he so loved. He opened the folder he created on Clair and flipped through the information that he had gathered. Clair was gorgeous. He thanked his lucky stars that Paul wasn’t with Clair anymore. Poor Clair, how lonely she must be, in pain, missing Paul. Trying to move on with her life; using this date. His mother had done that, tried very hard to move on from Benjamin, but she never could. Then his father had come to know about it…

Clair

She opened the door and saw a rather patronizing looking man standing in front of her. He didn’t look similar to man in the profile picture. Clair greeted him.

Jack

“Hi Clair, Thomas Baker, May I come in?”

Thomas Baker

He was waiting for his date Clair Simon to show up at the Royal City Palace. He felt as if he was stood up.

He had waited for an hour and a half. He had tried to contact Clair but her number was out of reach. He felt bitter and embarrassed. He decided to call up the helpline number of the dating site to ask about Clair Simon.

Jack

He was in the middle of cleaning up the blood from the floor of Clair’s apartment. His heart was beating fast. He was filled with a murderous excitement. He felt the same excitement he had experienced when he had saved his father from a treacherous bitch of a wife. He was happy and satisfied. His phone rang.

Thomas Baker: “Soulmate.com helpline?”

Jack: “hello, how may we assist you?”

Thomas Baker: “Sir, I have to report that my date, Ms. Clair Simon did not turn up for her promised date and I was stood up….for the first time in my life I have been so humiliated…This kind of an irresponsible behaviour would not be tolerated by me…she didn’t even have the decency to call and cancel...What am I supposed to do now? I need her address.”

Jack: “I am sorry Mr. Baker, but we are not responsible for the actions of those who access our service and as for her address…as a part of our privacy policy we cannot disclose the same. Good night Mr. Baker.” (hangs up)

Jack leaves Clair’s apartment just as it was…he had to get back home soon. His father needed his medicine on time. Besides, there was another date coming up next month, Ms. Sally Johnson. Jack would be able to sleep well tonight. He would have to start collecting all the required information for his next adventure…