patricia, please don't go! i was just making a point about the way you said. the way you stated your aspirations. kiss my aspirations. oh, very clever. the height of cleverness. waiter! could you do away with her dinner, and any evidence of her, and bring me an big glass of vodka? can i get another one of these? may i presume to ask you a question? do you have a girlfriend? that's very sad. is that man praying? i feel like i have just witnessed a car accident. what happened? sorry about that, folks. she's a very pretty mental patient. don't mind about me. but could you do me a favor and clear her place and take away all evidence of her, and bring me a big glass of vodka? i'm sorry if we disturbed you. my lady friend has a personality disorder. thanks, comrade. ouch. too young! i just got that. you know how to hurt guy. how old are you? sorry. that was rude. are you sure? then i'd be delighted. i hate eating alone, and it's amazing how often i end up doing just that. i'm a professor. i teach communications at n.y.u. sheila? yes she was. is. was. yes. i'll remember that. what do you do? then why are you eating alone? go ahead. nerves. maybe. listen. you wanna know why i chase women? i find women charming. i teach these classes i've taught for a million years. the spontaneity went out of it for me a long time ago. i started off, i was excited about something and i wanted to share it. now it's rote, it's the multiplication table. except sometimes. sometimes i'm droning along and i look up, and there's this fresh young beautiful face, and it's all new to her and i'm this great guy who's just brilliant and thinks out loud. and when that happens, when i look out among those chairs and look at a young woman's face, and see me there in her eyes, me the way i always wanted to be and maybe once was, then i ask her out on a date. it doesn't last. it can go for a few weeks or a couple of precious months, but then she catches on that i'm just a burnt out old gasbag and that she's as fresh and bright and full of promise as moonlight in a martini. and at that moment, she stands up and throws a glass of water in my face, or some action to that effect. may i walk with you a ways? you knew that man? temperature's dropping. i guess you can't invite me in? people home. i'm a little cold. we could go to my apartment. you could see how the other half lives. i'm too old for me. that's my predicament. good night. can i kiss you on the cheek, too? i'm freezing