They go to a small, family-owned restaurant called Oggie's. The walls are panelled with blonde wood, the floor is linoleum, and the tables are round with red-checkered tablecloths.
He orders a soda, a cheeseburger delux with onion rings, and a glass of ice water. She orders a salad and a fried softshelled crab sandwich.
While they wait for their food, they speak of nothing. The silence is a comfortable one, and he is glad of it. He is out of practice in making small talk. Of making any kind of talk, come to think of it.
There are paper placemats on the table. A lake in the woods. Something out of a starving artist exhibition. He turns the placemat over and asks her for a pen. She reaches into her purse, finds a pen, gives it to him, and he begins to draw.
He remembers, now, that he has always enjoyed drawing.
He is surprised to see that he is actually pretty good at it.
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