Page 103 of The Girl with No Name

“You gonna date anyone? You know, now that you and Samantha are done?”

“No idea, man. I don’t know.”

“Cool. Just want to make sure you know this is kind of my area. And obviously, I bring girls here a lot.”

“Obviously.”

He turns back to his video game, and I guess this is the end of the conversation.

I make myself some bread and butter, and I leave the butter out so it will be nice and soft for next time.

24

REED

“SEARCHIN’” – THE COASTERS

Ido go into work the next day, though I take it easy. I’ve gotten no answer to my email from Sebastian Jones, and Hal doesn’t stop by our cubicle. Jay has a theory that Hal is scared of me now.

It’s just as well, as I’m not doing work for the company today, anyway. I’ve got a research project to focus on.

“Jay, if you had to find a girl, and you had no idea what her name was, no photo of her, and no information other than your memory of her, where would you start looking?”

He spins his chair around. “Bro, you realize you’re insane, right? One week ago you were explaining to me why you were about to marry the perfect woman. Now you’re trying to track down some rando?”

“She’s not a rando. We spent the weekend together. Also, I’m allowed to change my mind. That’s called personal evolution. It’s a sign of maturity, as a matter of fact.”

“Touché. I’ve changed my outlook before.” He thinks a moment. “Okay, you’re in sales. It’s like you need to track down a lead. Also, how the hell did you spend the entire weekend with her and not learn her name?”

“She’s doing this whole rebirth thing, and she doesn’t know if her name will be her name forever, so she didn’t want to share it right now.”

“Dude, that’s gotred flagwritten all over it.”

“Yeah, she’s a little crazy for sure. I liked it, though.”

“Shit, man. I know what you mean. Love the crazy ones. So you didn’t get even a photo with her?”

“Nah, man. We were living in the moment. Wild, I know.”

He shakes his head. “Love that for you. Your generation sucks at that.”

“True story.”

“Sounds like this festival road trip really changed you. I do love that you’re not putting up with Lennie’s shit anymore.”

“What can I say? I learned from the best.”

That nightI drive over to where Luna’s van was parked on the north side of the city when we dropped her off, but it’s gone now. I knock on the door of a few nearby houses and ask if they’ve seen a big van out in front with a girl living in it. Two of the houses don’t answer, and two more give me funny stares and slam the door in my face.

So you’re looking for a girl and you don’t even know her name? Okay, buddy.

I head out to Castaways to have a drink by myself and see if, by some dumb luck, Luna is there.

I drink a glass of Malbec and watch everyone playing volleyball on the beach. Eventually I ask the bartender for help. “Do you remember a girl, maybe five foot eight, wavy dark hair, who was drinking wine with her friends here last Thursday? We played beer pong together?”

“Hmmm... Let me think.” She shakes her head after a moment. “Sorry, we get so many people coming through here.”

“I think she’s a bartender,” I say.