No One Gives a Shirt

Story Sent in by Vinny:

Mercedes was big into cosplay and when I told her that I owned a Batman shirt she asked me to send her a picture of it and I did. She loved it and asked me if I'd wear it on our first date. It wouldn't have been my first choice (it was really just for bumming around on the weekends) but if that's what she wanted then that's what I'd wear.

On the date she was full of nice words, mostly about the shirt. She really liked it a lot. She showed me photos of characters she had dressed up as when she went to various conventions and dork parties. Then she asked me if she could have the shirt. The very one I was wearing at that moment.

She said, "Just take it off. No one will care."

We were actually in a sit-down restaurant that probably would care if I took off my shirt. And while it's usually a desireable set of circumstances to be in when a woman asks me to take my shirt off, the time and place just didn't seem right. I had an idea for a compromise, though: "Maybe I can give it to you after we're done here?"

She seemed to accept that as fair. Once we were done at dinner we left and the very first words out of her mouth were, "So can I have the shirt, now?"

I took off the shirt and gave it to her. She said, "Thanks. Bye!" and near-ran away from me. I never heard from her after that. I hope that wherever she is, she's enjoying the shirt and her life without me.