“Hi,” Trudy said. “I got your note.”

“Are you free Saturday night?” John Thomas asked.

Trudy smiled. “All depends on what you have in mind.”

“A writer’s coming. She’s gonna speak at Our Broadway. Eight p.m. I think it is.”

“Oh, I see, a writer. A woman writer. And what’s her name if I might ask?”

“Eudora. Welty. She’s a Mississippi writer. A good one.” John Thomas replied. “We’re lucky she’s passing through.”

“Never heard of her. Let me think about it. I might be able. Right now I have a trig class. What class do you have?”

“Study Hall.”

Trudy laughed as she turned to leave. “Yeah, sure. I know all about that last hour study hall. Well, at least it’s our last year behind these prison walls. Goodbye high school. Goodbye forever! Thank you God…” she said as she looked toward the heavens.

“When you gonna let me know?” John Thomas asked.

“Call you tonight,” Trudy said and was gone.

Trudy and John Thomas had been ‘buddies’ since ninth grade. John Thomas liked Trudy a lot, but for some reason he always dated other girls. Trudy had mentioned it a few times but let it drop. At the moment they were just best friends and did just about everything friends could do together. Trudy was a great booster of John Thomas’s where his writing interests were concerned. Trudy liked clothes and designing them. She was taking a correspondence course in fashion design. John Thomas, in turn, cheered her on.

After the lecture Trudy and John Thomas went to a coffee shop near the theatre. Both ordered breakfast, which was served twenty-four hours.

“Umm, looks good,” Trudy said when the waiter brought her plate. “This way, I can sleep late tomorrow morning. By the way, her talk was great. I’m glad you got me to come along.”

“I wasn’t disappointed either,” John Thomas said. “You have to read some of her stories. They’re so well written.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that.”

“Uh, Trudy.” John Thomas hesitated. “I wanna tell you something.”

Trudy had those spectacular eyes and now they looked right into John Thomas’s.

“I’ve been dating these other girls, you know, and you and I’ve been just good friends…”

ENDING A:

Trudy interrupted. “Are you saying you wanna date me?”

“Yes, guess I am,” John Thomas replied.

“Great,” she said. “Cause I’ve always wanted to date you.”

“Damn,” John Thomas said. “Finally it’s out.”

Trudy smiled. “When do you think you’ll give up smoking?” she asked.

“Ha! Good question.”

John Thomas took some money from his left shirt pocket to pay the tab.

ENDING B:

Trudy interrupted. “Are you saying you wanna date me?”

“Yeah, guess I am,” John Thomas replied.

Trudy bit her lower lip. “Well, it’s a little late I'm afraid. I’m dating Danny Hicks right now. We’re both very happy.”

“I didn’t know,” John Thomas said. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Sorry. I was going to. Soon.” Trudy answered. “We haven’t been dating long. It doesn’t affect our friendship any, does it?”

“No, of course not,” John Thomas said with a sigh. He took some money from his left shirt pocket to pay the tab.