proposition

Feeling a little restless, I walked down to the local video store at about midnight to pick out another flick. After choosing my (Yuu Aoi) film, I meandered back toward home, lost in my thoughts and singing along to the Iron and Wine in my headphones, occasionally peering in lit windows of small restaurants.

Almost home, a few blocks from, a flashy black SUV rolls up beside me. The window rolls down. There's a man inside and his mouth is moving. I remove one earphone.

『帰るの？』"Are you going home?"
I give him a strange look and an ambiguous head-nod-wiggle, Indian-style.

The dashboard is glowing with all manner of high-tech equipment. He looks about my age or so. His hair is a bit gelled. The car is polished to the gleaming hilt.

『いっしょにどこか行こうか』"Shall we go somewhere together?"

Hmm. Tempting. I smile a little and give him a kekkou hand signal, the same one I use to turn down packets of tissues and hair salon fliers. A gentle, open palmed pushing motion. Then wait until he drives past and a few blocks away before turning into my street.