American Bustle

Story Sent in by Gwendolyn:

I was so excited to meet Alvin. He was American but had been raised in France, the child of State Department workers. Our first date was great and he asked me out to a movie for our second meeting.

It was a Friday night and the theater's ticket line was ridiculous. It was so long that I had half a mind to suggest doing something else. But then Alvin said, "Follow me."

He walked out of the line and made his way up further. I followed right at his heels and we melted back into the line, further up. He turned to me and said, "They do this all the time in France. It's a special French technique for making it past crowds. Just follow me."

He slipped out of the line and I followed. Sure enough, he fell back in further up once more. It seemed like nobody noticed at all. It was a bit thrilling, and he turned to me and said, "Once more. Come on."

He sidled out of line once more, but this time he seemed to have chosen poorly. As I followed him, he slipped into line in front of a big guy who wasn't having it.

"Hey!" the guy yelled, "No cuts!"

I froze where I was, but Alvin remained in line, facing away from the guy.

The guy leaned in close to Alvin and yelled at him to take a hike.

Alvin turned to the guy and asked him, "Are you talking to me?"

The guy was really furious at this point and Alvin trudged out of the line. As he passed me by he said, "It's your fault," and went on his lonely way.