Enchanted Dreams by Nancy Madore

things for what they were, but she had learned to keep most of these observations to herself. She tried her best to acquiesce to the accepted viewpoint, seemingly agreeing with all that was politically correct in an effort to fit in with those around her. At times she felt like a chameleon, always changing her own brilliant colors to mimic the much less appealing ones of those around her. There were times when she even doubted herself, wondering if she really was viewing things correctly after all, but her efforts to change only gave more credence to her original viewpoint and she was obliged, however reluctantly, to keep it. So now, to actually share that viewpoint with another person—a man, no less—and actually have it cause him to stop and think was terribly exciting for her. Dan, for all of his optimistic thinking—she had spotted that in him immediately—was not one to ignore a strong argument that had merit. She waited eagerly to see what he would do with the ideas she had shared with him, sipping on her drink in the interim.
    Dan swallowed his steak and looked at her. Just as Maryanne expected, he was cleverly going to place the ball back in her court by pointing out some similar inconsistencies in women. "You know," he began tentatively and thoughtfully, clearly enjoying the conversation as well, "there are plenty of women out there who lose interest in men, too, after they've had their way with them…playing all kinds of cruel games and generally screwing with their heads."
    But Maryanne had already thought of this. "If you think about it for a minute," she countered, "you will realize that that actually proves my original point. A woman who plays head games with a guy usually isn't all that interested in him to begin with. She either wants something from him or she's giving in to his persistent advances for some other reason. She doesn't have any genuine feelings for him. And this is the point—a woman's disinterest is the only thing that can hold a man's interest. He's still interested in her because he really hasn't had her yet . She allows him to hang on because it satisfies her need to feel desirable, but since she doesn't really love him, she'll just keep using and abusing him. And for as long as she doesn't care about him, she will keep his full attention. But if she falls in love with him, what happened to that woman over there will eventually happen to her. Even if a man tries to fight this instinct, his soul will be crying out for someone new. He might not have the guts to act on it, like you said—but instinctually he will become more aware and interested in almost every other woman, and she will know. "
    Dan was shaking his head, but his mouth was full of food so she continued. "Just think about it. It's true."
    He forced his food down with a gulp. "So if you really believe this, you go out with a guy, what? Once? Twice? How long before it starts to go to shit?"
    "I don't know," she replied thoughtfully. "I haven't figured that out yet." She dipped her head, suddenly shy, and tapped her long, glossy fingernails together in front of her nervously.
    Dan gave her a funny look, but he was smiling. "Come on," he teased. "You must have an idea. How many dates does it take to get to the jerk inside the man?" he asked with the same rhythm and inflection as the cartoon owl who asked, "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll lollipop?"
    Maryanne laughed. "Remarkably few, if I were to guess."
    "So how am I doing?" he asked. "Will I even make it through the night?" Maryanne looked at him in surprise, and he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean that like it sounded. Jeez!" He shook his head. "We are jerks!" But his eyes still sparkled with humor.
    "I don't think of men as jerks," Maryanne told him. "I just think that relationships between men and women have a short life. Does it have to be somebody's fault? Women are just as responsible."
    She once again had his full