"You're getting old, sweetie" Catherine teased Brent.

"No I'm not."

"Well, you are. Obviously you are."

"But not like you mean" Brent protested. "Young at heart, still."

"No you're not" Catherine laughed. "Do you want me to tell you what you're thinking?"

Brent looked at her doubtfully, challenging her.

"You're thinking if any of those paintings would match your furniture."

They were in a small café, where they'd met up for a quick lunch before Catherine had to go back to work and Brent had to go start his shift at the bookshop, and on their way out of the café Brent had suddenly stopped, his attention caught by a wall of colourful paintings of local street scenes and roofscapes, rendered in a deliberately cartoonish style.

"That's not what I'm thinking" Brent claimed, as Catherine opened the door of the café and held it open, letting a bolt of cool air in from the suddenly cloudy day outside and trying to send a hint to Brent that, really, it was time to leave.

"What are you thinking, then?" she asked as other customers in the café started to turn in their seats to see who had left the door open.

"I'm wondering if I can afford one" Brent said honestly. He was scrutinising the price list to the side of the small exhibition: five-hundred dollars for a small painting. He'd like a photograph or two of the local area: photographs were cheaper.

"You're getting old" Catherine said again.

"Then you must be, too" Brent reasoned.

"Uh-uh." Catherine shook her head. "I'm going to stay young and beautiful forever."

"Sounds dull" Brent said.

"Maybe I'll leave you for a young and beautiful man."

"Maybe you will," Brent said, playing along with her, "but it'd be your loss."

"Are you going to get one?" Catherine asked, nodding towards the paintings.

"No." Brent shook his head and turned, finally, to come with her out the door. "Can't afford one."

"None of them would go with your furniture, anyway" Catherine said as they stepped through the doorway and shut the door behind them, to the great relief of the other customers, who'd been starting to think about causing a scene.