Dating : Get the Girl

He is undersized and can’t swim, but as he lives on an island he boasts of his prowess on the water. Wanting to impress he tells her he’s, “good with boats,” and is, “excellent at oaring.” She smiles a half smile and nods in that boarding school, yacht club way. She lowers her eyes and signals a gracefully manipulated finality. He reddens and grins, believing her shy; himself surprised. She turns her head and mutters, “I must go.” Crestfallen, he watches her leave. No goodbyes, no last looks. He knows she was humoring him; being nice. He will spend days analyzing this moment, changing the scenario with each enactment. But he knows the final scene will always be the same — in the end he won’t get the girl.