A Stranger

"I wasn't going to tell you, because what you wouldn't have known wouldn't have hurt you, but -- since you insist."

I was stunned.

"I told you Linda had been flirting with the waiter all night, and we'd had a lot to drink --"

"You did it with the waiter?"

"No! Linda did it with the waiter. Or maybe Linda did it with the waiter. But anyway, Linda went off with the waiter. I had driven with Linda, and was in no shape to drive anyway, so I didn't know what to do -- "

"Call me. Take a taxi."

"But luckily," Cathy continued, just ignoring my interruption, "there was one other customer there, who saw my predicament when the restaurant closed, and he offered me a ride home."

"What happened? Did he attack you?"

"No - he didn't attack me. Nothing happened to me -- nothing that I didn't want to happen, anyway. He was a perfect gentleman. He was well-dressed, looked like a businessman or professional. He was kind of mysterious about what exactly his business was, but he said it brought him to town regularly. Anyway, he drove me here, parked and made no improper advances. I thanked him."

"Oh. That's what happened?"

"I came in. After I thanked him. I thanked him by --"