Their marriage had been rocky in recent months, and Dave wondered if he could try to save it. They had started to fight, staying apart, often not talking for days on end. Dave strained to remember the last time that they had made love, and could not. His job as an engineer always kept him traveling, so they could not be together as a normal couple.

While riding home on the Long Island Rail Road, he came to the decision that to save his marriage how would have to find another job, one that kept him closer to home. He had a bitter fight with his boss at work, and it was plain that another job was the best idea.

Driving past a florist, he pulled over and bought the roses. He didn't even wince at the price (the North Shore where they lived was so chic) and selected a dozen of the best long stem roses that were in the shop.

It had been a long time since he had bought roses. They had been so close once, yet now it seemed as if they were two strangers sharing a house together. He looked at the keychain hanging from the car's ignition, and saw the medallion that they had engraved shortly after their wedding: David & Candy.

Stopped at yet another light, Dave looked out of the open window at two girls walking by. He strained to catch some of their conversation and failed. The noise of too much traffic drowned out anything that he might hear.

He fantasized about making love to one (or both) of them. They were in their twenties, about ten years younger than him. While not trying to bee too obvious, he watched as they stepped on high-heels, their long legs visible below the short skirt that they both wore.

"Damn!" swore Dave when the car behind him blew its horn.......(cont)