National Anathema

Story Sent in by Benjamin:

I was at a pub on my first date with Tamara. Our food was served and she bowed her head and clasped her hands.

At first I was taken aback. She had never mentioned being religious. I didn't say anything, but I also bowed my head and waited for her prayer to start.

Instead, I heard her sing, very low, "O say can you see? By the dawn's early light..."

She sang the entire national anthem. Once she was done she looked up at me, said, "You could've joined in," and dug into her dinner.

"Why the national anthem?" I asked her. I was genuinely curious.

She looked at me like I was stupid and said, "Uh... because I'm American. Why? Are you like a terrorist or something?"

"No."

"Okay... because that's exactly the sort of thing a terrorist would ask."

I asked, "Are you in the CIA? Because this line of questioning is exactly what a CIA agent would ask."

She laughed to herself like I was the idiot. She didn't confirm or deny if she was a federal agent, though. No second date.