He got out of the shower and towel-dried his hair.  Dabbing on $70 ASHLOME cologne and pulling on a pair of dark wash Levi’s, he called Laurelle.

    “Hello?” The speaker crackled ever so slightly so that her honey voice was distorted. 

    “It’s David.  I was just double checking that I am going to pick you up at 7:00 for our date tonight?”

    “Well, yes, that’s what I believed; but you will need to get a move on it if you are planning on making it from your house to 44 Applewood on time.”  He grimaced as he checked the clock and then quickly scribbled down the address. 

    She daintily laughed and said, “I will see you at 7:30, David.  Don’t forget to dress nice!”

    “Goodbye.”  He hung up quickly and ran to his closet to get fancier clothes.  Unsystematically, he chose a navy blue collared shirt and slacks.  He then proceeded to (forgetting his wallet) run down the tattered steps of his apartment and hail a taxi. 

    The majority of the taxis glanced in David’s direction, but upon identifying him, acted like they were busy on another job.  Finally, an odd black taxi appeared.  The man inside rolled down the passenger window and smiled his mismatched smile. 

    “Ah, David!  I thought I remembered you telling me that you were going on a date tonight so I have been making my rounds.  Are you ready?”  Kenneth smirked into the mirror as David frowned, feeling like he had forgotten something.

    “Checklist, please.”

    “For you, David, that will cost an extra dollar!”  Kenneth’s eyes shone with humor.  David chuckled as Kenneth ran through his mental checklist of things-you-should-have-on-a-date.

When he reached “wallet,” David snapped his fingers and exclaimed, “That’s it!” He scurried up the steps and flew open the door to his house, grabbing his wallet and checking the time.  7:14.  Shoot.  He ran down the steps and stuffed himself in the taxi. 

Kenneth began to drive quickly; which was odd, for Kenneth knew David would be sitting in the backseat with his eyebrows knitted together in thought as to what he could still be missing. 

“Flowers! Kenneth! We must turn around! It would be ungentlemanly like for me to arrive at her door lacking carnations.”  He inwardly cursed himself. 

Suddenly, a bouquet of fresh, dewy carnations appeared between the two front seats.  David took them with relief. 

“Thank you, Kenny; but I would appreciate you not taking your hand off the wheel next time.  It is all I need to be fully prepared and crash heading to Laurelle’s house!”  David surveyed his surroundings and realized they were very close to Laurelle’s house.  He took a refreshing breath and popped a mint into his mouth.  “This is a very big night.”

The taxi pulled up to the curb of Laurelle’s residence and David stepped out looking sharp.  He mustered all of the confidence he could on that humid evening and rung the doorbell. 
Laurelle showed opened the door and David swooned.  She was wearing a yellow, scalloped neckline sundress with her signature maroon lipstick.  Her shiny caramel hair was done in an elaborate side bun.  He offered her his hand to assist her down the steps and her dainty hand accepted.  They walked into the taxicab hand in hand.