Window Dating: Story Base

 

Window Dating

June 6 2025

727 words

Photo by:Bruno Cervera - Photography

“How did it go last night?” inquired Dimitri.

“Well,” started his friend Jason, “it was interesting,” he paused, “and a little weird.”

“Weird?” asked Dimitri.

Jason looked him square in the eyes and intoned,”Weird.”

 

“How is meeting a girl weird?”

“Well,” began Jason with one of his patented breaking a one syllable word into many syllables. “It wasn’t no regular night club.”

“It wasn’t?” asked Dimitri whose attention had shifted from his homework to Jason’s story.

“It wasn’t,” said Jason with a touch of sadness that he thought might fuel his story. “It was the strangest night I have had in a while.”

“Oh?” replied Dimitri hoping the story would begin without a prompt but it looked less likely by the second.

“Well, you paid your money upfront and got all the drinks and food one could ask for.”

“How is that weird?”

“It’s not. It was one of the better things that happened,” Jason replied.

“Really?”

“Um hum.”

“Start at the beginning. Go minute by minute until you are done.”

Jason looked at Dimitri.”I paid my money. They escorted me to a booth with a door. So I am in this tiny room with a door on one end, four walls and on one wall, a window frame with a window. Everything is black except for the lights that shine on your face when you sit close to the window. I sat on the stool looking at the room, thinking "what have I got myself into?”

“Interesting,” interjected Dimitri.

“Suddenly a voice speaks quietly. “The window will open in a minute. When it does you get thirty seconds to look at the face in the window. No words. No sign language. No gestures. Just a look for thirty seconds. The window will close. You have a decision to make. Is this the right person for you? If yes, touch the yes button beside the window. If not, select the no button beside the window. You have thirty seconds to make your decision. 

If you make no decision, you will be given another chance at the window. You will get 5 chances. After 5 tries you will be escorted from the building.

If yes, and the other person says yes you will be escorted to the bar where further discussion will take place.

“It sounds a bit bizarre,” said Dimitri. “Time limits and snap decisions? Interesting. So what did you do?”

“The window opened up and I saw a face. It looked interesting. I said yes. She said yes. We both were escorted to a table where we had 15 minutes to talk. We talked. I happen to like her so we are going on a date tomorrow night.”

Dimitri thought about this for a minute. “What happens if you don't hit it off?”

“We would have been escorted from the building and invited back tomorrow night. We would have to pay again.”

Dimitri gave it some thought. “Why would you do this? It seems like a controlled way of meeting a girl.”

Jason looked over at Dimitri. “Not all of us have the gift for picking up girls. This sort of levels the playing field.”

Dimitri smiled. “You are making snap decisions based on looks. It sounds like a challenge.”

“Everyone seems to be doing it,” replied Jason as he returned to his homework.

Dimitri nodded and looked at his homework. It seemed like a long shot to meet someone who is interesting. You have nothing to go on but their looks initially and then a short conversation. He wondered if this was a fad or if it was taking hold.

The next night Dimitri found himself sitting at the window. His curiosity had gotten the better of him. “What could possibly go wrong,” he thought. 

He looked at the window, and when it opened he smiled. Maybe this wasn’t for him. His former girlfriend was sitting on the other side of the window.  He was laughing loudly as he hit the door. He paused in the hall to gather himself when the door ahead opened and out stepped his ex. 

“Maybe we should see each other again,” she stated. 

Dimitri looked away quickly and composed himself. “Let’s take a look at it and see if it is viable.” It was the least that he could do since divine intervention seemed to like the idea.