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Well, if they decide to pink-slip me I’m going to take the money and run right out of New York. I’ll go someplace where the odds of finding my soul mate are better. And a warmer climate won’t hurt, either.”
    “ I think the odds of finding your Mr. Right are going to be the same anywhere. Besides, anyplace in the Sunbelt is going to pay you maybe half of what you’re getting now, maybe sixty percent, tops.”
    “ That’s all right. From what I hear you can live better, even on less money, because everything’s cheaper. I can buy some property instead of making my landlord rich every month. And speaking of money, am I allowed to buy a new outfit to wear to dinner out of my bonus money?”
    “ Not really. That money should be earmarked for travel expenses, not for outfits or getting your hair done. Oops.” She had forgotten that Glenda had given up on getting her long, thick hair relaxed every seven weeks, wearing it pulled back or pinned up in its natural kinky state instead of loose. “When the operators at the hairdresser start arguing over whose turn it is to do your head because none of them want to do it, it’s time to go off and live nappily ever after,” she had said at the time.
    Now she said, “Well, it should count. It’s all part of the process. I’ve caught Bobby. Now I want to reel him in.” She pantomimed the act of fishing.
    “ You haven’t exactly caught him yet. This is only your first date.”
    “ Trust me. He’s as good as gone.”
    Glenda ’s enthusiasm carried through the phone line on Sunday morning. “We had a great time. He let me pick the restaurant, and I chose seafood. We went into the city and ate at the latest hot spot on Columbus Avenue, this place that everybody’s raving about now, but’ll be gone in a year when they forget about it and start going someplace else. After dinner we took a long walk down the street, stopped to get some ice cream and ended up at a jazz club. The music was fabulous.” She sighed romantically, and Vivian could picture the dreamy look on her face. “I must say it was a nice evening. And I like Bobby, too.”
    Vivian drew in her breath. “That’s wonderful, Glenda! Sounds like you might have accomplished your goal.”
    “ Well, I wouldn’t mail the invitations just yet. Relationships are always good when they’re fresh. It generally takes a while before you start getting on each other’s nerves.”
    “ Yes, but the goal was to meet our Mr. Rights. The ceremony can come later, like next year. There’ll still be plenty of time to have a baby before forty.”
    “ You’re so sweet. And I don’t mean to hog the conversation. Tell me all about your date with Gary.”
    Vivian made a face, even though there was no one in the room to see it. “Let me put it this way: It sucked.”
    She could hear Glenda made a choking sound, and then there were gulping noises as she took a long swig of whatever it was she was drinking to clear her throat . “I just got Sprite coming out of my nostrils. You caught me off guard. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you use that expression before.”
    “ I’ve never been on such a miserable date before. This man makes Thomas look like a great catch.” She grunted. “If he’s a catch, I’m throwing him back.”
    “ What went wrong?”
    “ Everything. You wouldn’t believe where he took me for dinner. One of those family style steak houses. It was maybe two steps removed from a McDonald’s. Bright lights, screaming kids, clanging silverware, and no booze. Not even any beer or wine. It was terrible.”
    “ I won’t ask about the food. But at least you got a movie out of it.”
    “ Yeah, at five-thirty in the afternoon.”
    “ Why so early?”
    “ We went to the half-price twilight show. The man is cheap with a capital C, Glenda.”
    “ I don’t get it. Isn’t he a commercial artist?”
    “ Unless he lied, but he’s a little old to be working in the mail room.”
    “ Does he have a lot of