"Are you as beautiful inside as what I see before me?"
She gave him a quizzical look as she pressed her hand flat on her neck, not so much in oh-how-sweet-a-compliment as to cover the scar from a knife attack, now but five years ago. She then gave a look that could be mischievous and said, "What you see is what you get, all of me, the what and the who."
He said, "I see. I mean I--"
"You should be. Start over? or are we done?"
He shuffled a bit, "I mean I'm sorry. That came out wrong."
To which she offered, "I'd like to think that was nice, and true. But maybe you didn't see me exactly. Like you meant to get to know me, on the off chance, get my name or phone number or something."
"Sorry again. Appearances can be--just you are very pretty. I was hoping--"
"Start over. My name's Mary. And yours?"
"Roger."
"Roger that."
"I don't know what to say now."
"You made a good start. Either a philosophical question or something nice that any girl would like to hear."
"I meant . . . I would like to get to know you".
"So let's talk about the other part. People are beautiful on the inside even if the outside is not what some would say is attractive or pretty or--"
"You're right, except when they're not. There are some people we just should avoid, particularly nowadays."
"You're talking about all the shootings and -isms and stuff?"
"Not just these days, 'cause hasn't it always been true that some we like, some we don't. Some are fine and others are, what can I say? deceptive?"
"True. But Roger, what is truth?"
"Oh, boy--"
"You started it. Don't you agree? Some things are true and other things are not."
"Yes. Are you talking about disinformation, things like that?"
"Could be. But I was thinking about getting a compliment again. Philosophy is for philosophers, and I'm not. Just a pretty girl. You said so."
"Beautiful, and I'm beginning to--"
"What? I guess I have to prove something more? You don't just go on appearances, do you?"
"Do I have to--"
"Answer? Of course. I seldom hang out with people who only go on appearances. There's a whole lot wrong these days with people who do that."
"Okay, okay. I'll be honest. I just really wanna hook up with you".
"And I thought it was going so well. You're a nice looking guy. Really. But I'm not sure--"
"About?"
"Gotta go, Roger."
"Bye?"
