The Couple

 "I found such as nice place for us to live,” said The Girlfriend. Her voice filled with tender excitement as she looked at her, quite frankly, disinterested male companion. She continued anyway, “it’s big enough for us to have separate rooms, it’s super light during the day-time, and has all new kitchen appliances” describing so many desirable aspects, that even I, sitting at the next table across, wondered if perhaps she would allow me to live with her. The Boyfriend, on the other hand, without looking up from his smartphone, nonchalantly said, “to be honest, I’m happy with the way things are now.” I tried not to look up from my book, as I did not want to see the disappointed facial expression I expected to see on The Girlfriend’s face. A period of silence followed, as I awkwardly shuffled in my seat, hoping that they had not caught on that I had been eavesdropping.

      After what felt like an eternity, from the corner of my eye, I saw The Boyfriend put down his phone, lean back in his chair and without a speck of emotion say, “I think we should be the kind of married couple who only see each other on the weekend. Other than saving on rent, I just do not see the point in living together.” As much as I wanted to stand up for her, all I could do was listen as she quietly said, “I guess you’re right, it’s important that we maintain our freedom, things are nice the way they are now.” I held onto my cup of coffee so hard I thought it would break as I peered up through my glasses at the young woman. On the verge tears she kept trying to comfort herself by softly repeating that things were nice as they were, while The Boyfriend curtly suggested that they simply kept going as a couple without moving in together, and then went back to checking his smartphone. 

As I was getting ready to leave the café, I found myself hoping that both The Girlfriend and The Boyfriend would part amicably, and find new partners who respectively wanted the same things from life.