Supermarkets, barely even interesting, He was in a queue, mind in neutral, peripherally aware of the young mother and two bored small children in front, idly staring at rows of sweets, behind were an older white couple similarly he supposed, aged like himself, he realised only after he had been caught staring by the wife that he had taken an unusual interest in the pink lace bra and panty set positioned at the front of their shopping, she looked only slightly embarrassed, her husband smiled, amused, as he went to turn his gaze away the husband said "Pretty aren't they?", Steve for the first time looked at the blushing wife, realising that she was, "yes, she is, they are" he completed the turn hoping they had missed his faux pas.
It was later, in the car park when he noticed they were parked near to him, he nodded casual acknowledgement, smiled, the husband walked over, "we don't often shop here and almost never buy supermarket underwear" "well like you said, they were pretty" "Jane was embarrassed, she had seen you in the meat section earlier and said that you were quite handsome, she likes black men, although it's rare for her to express it out loud in public" "You married an attractive girl, Steve said carefully, "We wondered if you had noticed.. well, more than the knickers", "More than the knickers?" "Well that's the thing, we were hoping that you might be interested in talking about out interests?" Steve had been talking to the husband whilst also looking past him at the wife who seemed oblivious, engrossed, slowly moving shopping from trolley to car and noted when she suddenly looked up and made eye contact, that she had been not only aware of what was being said but had timed her packing to concluded at the same time as her husband's chatty flirt. There was a short pause as Steve considered, he looked frankly at both of them, the husband casually dressed similarly matured with age, smiling, the very pretty brunette, older, nicely formed, petite, wide hipped, looked very arousing in a floaty patterned belted dress.
He noticed the expectant relief as he smiled whilst considering both of them, "Bit public here, should we continue this, somewhere more, convivial?"
The local pub was a blank background of late lunch chatter, a sort of conversational white noise, allowing the three of them privacy of a sort, in their little booth beside a window overlooking the canal.
After they had introduced themselves, John had bought drinks, leaving Steve and Jane to wilfully avoid the obvious and discuss the perils of supermarket shopping.
With John and the newly arrived drinks, the moment came, "So, you have an interest in Black men?" caught, deer like in the headlights Jane, looked for support from John. "Yes we, well we both share the same interests" John said, waiting. Steve took a breath and made the decision, they had come this far, to bring things to a point. "Do you find me attractive Jane?"
