Devon Edwards
Melting Ice
David strode up to his office building with a confidence that any man would envy. He pushed
the door open and entered. He flashed his pearly white teeth and announced to his workmates,
“Rejoice! For I am here.”
Everyone looked up from their desk with disdain in their eyes. He laughed at them and
proceeded to his desk. On his way there, Mark his office buddy joined him.
“Good morning David. How are things going?”
“As well as can be.”
“So, have you heard about the new girl from the Accounts Department?”
“No. What about her?”
“Well rumour has it that she’s HOT but hard to get. Every man who’s approached her for
a date, she’s turned them down.”
David stroked his chin and thought, I love a challenge.
“Hello? Earth to David. Are you even listening?”
“Yes I am. Did you say she’s been turning them all down?”
“Yes. They say it’s because she considers herself to be an independent woman and has
no need for a man.”
“Maybe she hasn’t met the right guy.” David turned and continued on his way to his
desk.
That evening David stood a short distance away from the Accounts Department watching every
single woman that exited its doors. They were all in groups of either two or three. It was when
one woman came out alone that David thought, this must be her. Maybe it was the way she
walked as if she didn’t have a care in the world. Maybe it was the way the black dress moulded
to her body outlining every single curve. Whatever it was, David was pleased. As he walked
towards her he thought, what woman could resist me. I am handsome and filled with charm. I
am going to melt that cold exterior of hers and ignite the fire within.
“Hello, I’m David and you are?” he asked, walking beside her.
“I’m Alicia.”
“Nice to meet you Alicia. So, how do you like your new job?”
“It’s okay.”
David grasped her arm and halted her progress. “Alicia, let’s skip all of this warm-up talk
and get to the matter at hand. I can feel a connection between us. From the first moment I saw
you I knew we were destined to be together. Let’s face it we seem to be the perfect match.
How about going out with me tonight for dinner at The Hilton? Say seven?”
With a look of revulsion upon her face Alicia replied, “I think not.”
David flashed his megawatt smile and upped his charm. “I know if you had a date with
me, you would never be the same. It would be like no one else existed in the world but the two
of us. I will show you things you never thought were possible. So, what do you say?”
She stared at him for what seemed like forever and then she smiled. “Did you say The
Hilton for seven?”
“Yes. I could pick you up. Just give me your address.”
“No I’ll meet you there. It was a pleasure meeting you David.”
David took her hand in his. “The same here Alicia.”
As he turned and walked away he thought, that is how a real man does it.
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This was the night perfect for passion and romance. Nothing can stop me from getting it. He got
out of his car with a bounce in his step and handed the keys to the valet. As he walked towards
the door of the restaurant, he paused and looked at his reflection in the glass. The blue cotton
shirt hugged his shoulders and caressed his torso as it made its way down to his waist. There it
met his belt; long and thick and strong, which held his black pinstriped pants in place. His
pinstriped pants flowed down to his charcoal socks and matching square mouth shoes. He
nodded at himself in approval and stepped through the door.
“Good evening sir,” the hostess said. “Do you have a reservation?”
“Yes. The name is Howard. Party of two.”
“Sir, your party has not arrived as yet, would you like to be shown to the lounge or to
your table?”
“I’ll wait at the table. She’ll soon be here.”
“Very well sir. This way please.”
There was a confidence that radiated in his every action as he followed the hostess to his
table. He walked with his head held high and a broad smile across his face as he strode with
purpose across the floor. Arriving at his table, he sat erect in his chair and surveyed his
surroundings.
Shortly afterwards, a waitress approached him. “May I get you something to drink sir?”
“Yes. Just a glass of water with ice.”
“Very well sir.”
As the waitress went to fill his order he began to scan the room. Various expressions
crossed his face as he critiqued the scenes around him. His face contorted as he watched an
elderly gentleman chew his food with his mouth open. His eyes narrowed as he watched a
woman slip her foot from her shoe and run it up the leg of her date. His jaw tensed as . . . His
eyes returned to the empty chair across from him. When the waitress returned with his glass of
water he gave her a tentative smile as his eyes returned to the opposite end of the table. He
furrowed his brow as his pupils retreated and a pensive look spread across his face. His eyes
returned to the table and his untouched glass of water. He looked at the glass with malice in his
eyes as the first beads of sweat began to appear; the ice had begun to melt. His shoulders
slumped and he felt like a deflating balloon. The waitress returned to refresh his glass but
scurried away when she realised that it was still untouched. He cast his eyes to the door and held
his breath as it opened. He sat erect. In walked a tall striking lady, full of grace and elegance.
He grew in despair as she was greeted by a strapping gentleman who whisked her away to a table
at the far end.
His gaze left them and continued around the room searching with vigour. When his eyes
returned to the table a small pool had formed at the base of the glass and half the ice had melted.
The hostess returned to his table. “When will your party be joining you sir?”
Trepidation coursed through his body and he began to stammer in response. “I . . . I . . . I
. . .”
“I am sorry sir, but if your party is not here in ten minutes we will have to relocate you to
the lounge.”
He nodded in response. Despair etched its way across his face as he continued to watch
the pool at the base of the glass surpass the boundary of the napkin and form a small stream
across the table. He watched until the last cube of ice returned to its liquid state, then grabbed
the glass and emptied its contents in one gulp. He thrust his chair back bouncing the table as he
stood, stormed across the floor past the hostess and through the door.
“Fetch my car!” he yelled at the valet. He burned outwardly with rage like a caged
animal but inside his stomach churned with humiliation.
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The next morning David woke with the unforgettable night still on his mind. When he arrived at
work he walked through the door without uttering a word and made his way to his desk. On his
way there, he could not help but notice the small chuckles and the whispers that came from his
workmates as he passed. He sat at his desk still confused as to why something like this would
happen to someone like him. As David tried to figure out where he went wrong, Mark stopped at
his desk.
“Hey David, did you hear about what happened last night? The whole office is talking
about it.”
“Hear what Mark?”
“Well, apparently some guy approached the new girl and asked her out. Would you
believe she accepted and then turned around and stood him up?” Mark began to laugh. “That
was funny.”
David sat there and did not utter a word.
“Wait, why aren’t you laughing?
He slouched further in his chair and covered his face with his hands.
“Please tell me it wasn’t you.”
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