Waking up

You wake up, take a quick shower and get dressed. Yesterday was certainly interesting.

You'd half-decided, somewhere between the shower and toweling off, that you should actually go for a run today (a real one, not just the vague intention you've been carrying around for weeks without acting on). Vienna's parks aren't going to jog themselves into your routine.

That plan lasts about as long as it takes to walk into the kitchen and find Claire already there, hair still damp, pouring orange juice into two glasses like she'd been expecting company.

"Morning," she says, not looking up. "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep past eight. Old habits."

She replies.

"Tragic. I fully intended to sleep until nine." You are still tired, "So, Claire, any plans today?" you ask, half interested. "Yeah actually. Every tuesday, this cafè in the Innenstadt is doing a "Lesetag", which means, they have an open bookshelf, and customers can take a book out to their table. But, that is not the point. Thr reading, i mean." Her francophone accent breaking out during the last sentence. "The point is to find people reading a book you like, and talking about it with them. They have been doing those events for decades." She smiles. "If been there a few times, you meet all sorts of interesting people." Connecting about books? Claire has peeked your interest.

"Now, there is one additional rule. Men are not allowed to aproach women. Men can aproach women, women men, and women other women. But not men women. Old and archaic, i know, mais c'est la vie, et c'est la Vienne." She smiles apologetically, before adding "You're cute, John. I am sure someone will aproach you." This seems like a really interesting event to you. "Sure, i'll be there." After giving you a time and place, she slides one of the glasses across the counter toward you without asking if you wanted it, which you decide is a fair assumption on her part. "I was going to make eggs. You interested, or do you have plans?"