Fetch

A first date: he shows up at her flat, several stories up in her building. She’s finishing getting ready, so she introduces him to her dog, which loves to fetch a small red rubber ball with blue stars. He tosses the ball to the dog a few times, somewhat distractedly, looks through a book (“Do I have to be me?”) on her coffee table, opens the French doors to her balcony, sits down and continues to toss the ball. It takes a deadly carom, but when she emerges from her bedroom ready to go, he stays mum. Outside the building, a crowd has gathered. Will he tell her what happened, or leave it for her to put together? Is there any way out for him?