Page 12 of A Face in the Crowd
There is something about the way he looks at me, though. It’s hard to place at first, but then I realise he reminds me of Billy when I wake him up unexpectedly. There’s a sideways tilt, a glimmer of recognition.
‘Do I know you?’ I ask. ‘You seem like you know me…?’ I tail off, not quite sure how to phrase it. We’ve only met seconds ago and, already, I’m blowing things.
There’s a pause. I first think it’s because he’s considering it, but then it seems clear that he has no idea how to reply. Of all the things I could have said to him, this would have been somewhere at the bottom of the list. Level with, ‘So, Genghis Khan. He was a bit of a rascal, wasn’t he?’
‘I don’t think so,’ Harry replies, hesitantly. ‘Perhaps I have one of those faces?’ He cracks a smile and strikes a comedy catalogue pose, pointing and gazing off into the distance. From nowhere, I’m giggling and everything is fine.
Harry motions to pull my chair out to allow me back in, but I tell him not to be so daft and then we’re sitting opposite one another. He has one hand on the menu but doesn’t open it and there’s a moment in which we simply look at one another. Size each other up, I suppose.
It’s broken by the waiter arriving with the timing of a red light when someone’s in a hurry. He rattles on about the specials and then recommends half-a-dozen wines. Harry eyes my water and then orders a pint of some lager whose name he rolls his tongue around.
When the waiter has gone, he leans in. ‘You’re not one of these wine people, are you?’
‘What counts as a wine person?’
He pokes out his bottom lip. ‘Someone who talks about different types of grapes and can spend an hour banging on about weather patterns in certain Mediterranean regions.’
Harry has an infectious smile which spreads as I reply: ‘I am definitelynota wine person.’
He nods approvingly. ‘That makes two of us.’ He nods at the menu that’s open on the table in front of me. ‘What sounds good?’
There’s a moment of panic that’s hard to push away. I don’t particularly think of things as being ‘good’, more ‘cheap’. I can’t stop eyeing the tomato and basil soup, because it comes with bread and a salad – and costs less than a fiver.
‘I’ve not really looked yet,’ I lie.
He nods acceptingly but doesn’t open his menu, instead nodding at my drink. ‘Are you sure you’re okay with water? I was only joking about the wine. If that’s what you’re into, we could share a bottle…?’
It’s a question I’ve been asked before when ordering water, as if not getting trolleyed on a dozen pints of Danish lager is the weird option.
‘I’ve got uni work to do tomorrow,’ I reply – which is true, but not the reason for my choice.
He taps the side of his head. ‘Of course. I forgot you’re a student. It’s Childhood and Youth Studies, isn’t it?’
There’s no way he’s remembered that off the top of his head and I wonder if I should have done some revision on him based upon the information we’ve swapped and his profile. Is this another one of those ‘ings’ that have appeared in dating since I was with Ben? ‘Revising’, or something like that.
‘That’s right,’ I say.
He nods along. ‘I guess this means you like kids…?’
Harry says it with a smile, but I have another moment of panic. How are we on to talking about kids within minutes of meeting for the first time?
‘Um…’
He laughs and waves it away. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. The reason I first contacted you is because you said you were a dog person – so what I really want to ask about is your dog…’
Finally, we’re onto something I can talk about confidently and warmly.
‘Billy,’ I say. ‘He’s a Staffie. I got him from a shelter about four years ago. He’s almost ten now.’
Before I know it, my phone’s out and I’m proudly showing off photos as if I’ve got a newborn. Perhaps he’s humouring me, but Harry seems interested. He laughs at the silly pictures and goes ‘aww’ when I would.
‘Have you got a dog?’ I ask.
‘I wish I did. My building doesn’t allow tenants to have pets. Someone could probably get away with a fish or a guinea pig, but that’d be about it. No cats or dogs.’
‘Why?’
‘I think someone went on holiday and left his dog at home for a week. One of his friends was supposed to be going around to feed him and let him out – that sort of thing – but there was some mix-up. I don’t know all the details. It was before I moved in. Either way, the building council banned pets after that.’
