Randal Page walked the regular route back from the office to his small apartment. The crowded sidewalk seemed to flow past him instead of carrying him along. Randal’s thoughts rotated through his mind in an ordered sequence. That is what he loved so much about his life. It reflected his mind; ordered, structured, and simple.

Just as that last thought percolated through his mind, he collided into something. A flurry of motion erupted as Randal and another figure collapsed to the walkway. The crowd swelling around the two figures gave as much care as a river flowing around a boulder.

Randal laid on his back watching the underside of chins coming in and out of view. He thought that it was peculiar how many different facial hair styles could exist and what each style said about each person. His ruminations were interrupted with the sound of a slight grunt and then a face peering down upon him. It was a woman. She had a slight look of concern on her face that melded into a broad smile.

“Hello down there! I believe we had a collision.” Her smile never faltered as Randal continued to lie on the ground. Suddenly she shot her legs out and laid down with her shoulder touching his. She let out a slight giggle as she repositioned herself next to him.

Randal couldn’t compute what was happening. Who was this woman and had she said that they had collided? The thought that she might try to hurt him crossed Randal’s mind. His eye finally flicked away from the chins still flowing by and locked in on the woman now laying next to him.

“I know I just got off of the ground, but I really hadn't taken the time to actually appreciate the view the first time. I can see why you like it. Some people have really funny looking chins.” She struggled to get out this last sentence as another petite giggle escaped between the words.

The dispassionate river continued to flow around the rocks even as the woman’s voice swirled around them. Randal finally turned his head to look the woman straight on. He first noticed how striking she was. She had pale skin with a touch of freckles on her nose. Her eyes shown bright green and her hair flowed in golden waves toward the ground. A brilliant and perfect smile stilled graced her face.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

With this last observation, her head swiveled to look Randal in the eyes. “Should we get up and decrease the probability of being stepped on?” She queried at Randal. “We would also be in a better position to introduce ourselves to one another”.

They both began to peel themselves off the ground and dust off their clothes. Randal’s normal tidy appearance had now taken on a disheveled chaotic look. Randal decided that the woman who was now standing before him could fall into a trash compacter and still look stunning. He felt a slight twinge of anxiety begin to grow into a tempest as the woman finished dusting off her pant leg and look back up at him.

She reached her hand out and announced, “I’m Sarah Leslie.”

Randal tried to move his hand up to meet hers. He became distinctly aware of how difficult it could be to moves ones appendages with precision sometimes. Finally their hands connected and he robotically shook her hand. “Pleasure to meet you Sarah.” The words stuttered out of his mouth. “My name is Randal Page.” He concluded his last name too soon so it came out more like “pang”.

Sarah cocked her head to the side with one eyebrow raised. “Pang? Like pangs of guilt over running into me? Or pangs of love now that you have experienced my magnetic personality?” She let loose another tiny guffaw as her eyes sparkled mischievously.

Randal shuffled his feet against the smooth pavement. Bowing slightly he stammered, “I’m sorry I ran into you. I was lost in thought. And my last name is Page.”

With the radiant smile still streaming across her face, Sarah inclined her head. “Randal, I accept your apology. It is so nice to make your acquaintance.”

Randal continued to stand there somewhat dumbfounded. What was she doing still standing here talking to him. He knew his own strengths well and he also knew that interacting with members of the opposite sex was not one of those strengths.

She soon walked up to his slack jawed form and placed an arm around him. She slowy ushered him off to the side of the walkway and into the entry way of a cafi shop. “Hmm it seems I broke him.” Her warm smile never waned as she gently patted his back.

Randal finally seemed to get a hold of his faculties. “Well… Goodbye.” He turned back in the direction he had been previously going and started to take a step.

“Not so fast.” Sarah moved slightly to obstruct his path. “I require all people who knock me over to-“ she quickly looked up at the cafi shop sign glowing over their heads “-take me out for cafi.”