Ginger and The Aphid Bar

When I first logged-on to match.com, the place where singles connect, all I wanted was to get a bad taste out of my mouth. A two year relationship had ended badly for me and I thought I could rebound by meeting someone new online. I pictured light-hearted nights on the town, flirtatious games of pool, drinks on patios, and brief but intense couplings on the couches of women trying to leave memories of ex-husbands in the past. A steady regimen of such ‘dating’ would, I reasoned, lead me to a newly-satisfied state-of-mind where, having sampled what was out there, I could settle for the best bet in a field of suitable candidates, and be happy. A raven-haired, 40-something beauty with a sensual nature and a room full of half-finished sketches, that’s what I imagined I would end up with and, having become one half of a perfect couple, that I would start to write with renewed vigor while Ramona–that was the name I gave her–brought me green tea in between work sessions.

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This book is 7,522 words long.