Well, Something Needs Fixing

Story Submitted by Taylor-Ann:

I met Jake on a packed train. He and I were sitting next to each other, and he must have glanced at the book I was reading, The Lost City of Z.  "Great book," he said, and so began a good conversation. By the end of it, he had my number and I had a good feeling about him.  He said he was a med student at a school in the city.

We had a couple of long phone calls before he asked me out.  His idea was to have a picnic – he'd cook the meal if I made dessert.  I baked cinnamon buns.

We met at the park, found a good spot, stretched out his blanket, and sat down. He placed his picnic basket on the blanket and asked me, "Can I have one of your cinnamon rolls?"

I handed him one, smiled, and said, "Dessert before the meal?"

"The meal!" he said, then reached into the back pocket of his pants and pulled out three rusty nails.

I said, "Uh..." then he opened his picnic basket.  Inside were tools: pairs of pliers, wrenches, screwdrivers, and the like.  No food.  He tossed in the three nails and looked at me.

He said, "I brought tools.  No food."

I asked, "Why did you bring tools?"

He asked, "Do you need anything fixed?"

"No."

"Can I have another cinnamon roll?  I'm glad one of us brought food."

I handed him another and asked, "Is this a joke?  I don't get it."

He said, "No joke.  I fix things.  I thought you might need something fixed."

I inched away from him and asked, "You are a med student, right?"

He shook his head.  "No doctor.  No.  I'm a fixer.  I fix."  He gave me a creepy smirk.  I nodded slowly, picked up my container of cinnamon rolls, backed away, and then hurried off.  Never heard from him again, thank goodness.