By Jack Stratton

She walked into the diner just as I was finishing my dinner. She dragged her feet and popped her gum, and wore a frown perfectly.

The place was 50s chic, the counters lined with chrome, and the booths with well stuffed red pleather cushions. A Lower East Side remake of a Brooklyn version of a Happy Days or David Lynch ideal of a greasy spoon.

She wore a huge puffy pink parka, pink pajama pants, rain boots, and big movie star sunglasses. She looked both miserable and determined. She was my age, but with a decidedly more youthful fashion sense, to put it mildly.

She stomped up to the counter, pushing past a family of tourists who were looking over the menu, unsure of their order. She didn't need a menu. She knew exactly what she wanted.

"Sweet potato fries and a peanut butter cup milkshake to go," she deadpanned to the man behind the counter. He pushed back his little paper hat and nodded.

I swooned at her order and her bratty delivery.

I tried not to stare at her as she waited for her order, but as she unzipped the ridiculously large coat, I glimpsed something skin-tight, low cut and pink, underneath. I looked away, but she caught my eye and glared.

I went back to my Kindle. The digital revolution made it easier to hide the fact that I mostly read smut. She eyed me and my food and swiveled her head to look at my book, which I agilely moved out of her view.

There seemed to be a bit of an internal debate going on behind her sunglasses and deciding if I was a creep or not. Frankly, I didn't know the answer to that one myself. Looking me up and down once more, I guess she thought I was at least tolerable. She moved my way to make room for the tourists.

"What did you order?" she interrogated.

I looked down at the little nub of what was left of my dinner.

"It was hotdog wrapped in cheese, wrapped in bacon, with avocado and spicy mayonnaise on top."

She bit her lip and groaned.

"I want that," she said, seemingly to herself.

I laughed and smiled, but she cut her eyes at me.

"No, I mean, I want one now. You should get me one."

It was a complicated moment. What did buying a cute stranger and elaborate sausage mean?

I turned and caught the eye of the cook. I raised two fingers and mouthed, pointing at her and me.

She smiled for the first time, just a little crooked half-smile, and hopped on the stool next to me.