She was beautiful. Like something right out of a beer commercial. There was just something about the way she moved up to the bar and perched on the stool right next to him and looked deep into his eves while she ordered a drink. He tried to speak but something stupid came out. She smiled and glanced at the claddaugh ring on his hand that his girlfriend had given him. He was spoken for, she could see that, and it obviously didn't matter to her. And for a moment, it didn't matter to him either. All of his friends faded away and he was left here with just this beautiful girl staring right into him.

She gave him her phone number before he could ask, or not ask. And later on, going home, he found he couldn't remember a word of their conversation even though he had tried so desperately to be interesting. In the morning he wasn't sure if he was interested. She didn't seem real, more like one of those dreams that you remember and wonder if it really happened. In the light of day, fondling her phone number, she didn't seem very real. But that night he found himself lying to his girlfriend so he could stay in and call her. But when he called all he got was an answering machine with a whispery recording. He couldn't bear to leave a message, so he decided to try her later. He kept calling her and hanging up on her machine. It was late when he decided to try her for the last time. That was when the whispery voice that answered was real.

She said she had a tape full of hang-ups on her machine, she hoped no one had wanted to leave a real message. He apologized and could almost hear that smile curling on her lips. They talked for awhile but it seemed that he told her lots about him and found out nothing about her. But she listened. He felt he could tell her anything. It seemed like she already knew everything about him.

The late night phone calls became their link. He found he could see his girlfriend and still get home in time for her call. Whenever he asked to see her she would sidestep him and make him forget his question until later. Then he would lie in bed and replay and dissect their conversation in his head. After a week he decided he was in love with her, after two weeks he decided he should give his girlfriend back his ring. But before he could do anything he had to see her again and make sure she was real.

One night he cornered her and got her to agree to a date. They decided to meet the next night in the parking lot of the local club. She was an hour late. But when the dark sports car swung into the parking lot he knew it was her. She left her lights on and as she got out of the car and walked toward him he realized that this was the most light he'd ever seen her in. Her heels clicked on the black pavement and the breeze lifted her hair gently off her shoulders. She stood a foot way from him and he barely caught the scent of her musk. Then she laughed at him, said she couldn't believe he'd waited. Once again he tried to say something, but something stupid came out. That he loved her. And she laughed again and touched his cheek with long painted nails and said, "You can't love me because I'm not real, excuse me I have a beer commercial to go make." With that, she drove away leaving him to contemplate whether or not to go meet his girlfriend when she got off work. n