The Girl in the Pink Dress

Cathy Meardon entered Victoria Park a little after 8.30pm, she was apprehensive about walking through the park at dusk but she was late for an appointment so she had no real choice.
Her brisk pace was as a result of her tardiness and her unease.
Her appointment was with friends at the Pink Parasol, a trendy pub that had the gimmick of only allowing patrons to enter if they wear pink, the more pink the better.
Which is why Cathy was wearing a pink dress, pink shoes and carried a pink handbag.
Ken Smith was heading in the opposite direction to Cathy on his way home from work and couldn’t help but notice the girl in the pink dress.
He always noticed pretty girls, especially blondes, and he knew from the dresses colour where she was headed.
As he passed her on a parallel path she reached into her bag for her mobile phone and as she pulled it out she also pulled out a small manila envelope with it which fell silently to the floor.
As Cathy strolled purposely on totally oblivious of her loss Ken hurried to the point where he had seen the envelope fall.
He picked it up and saw it was addressed to Miss Catherine Meardon, 59 Carrington Avenue, Abbottsford.
That’s interesting, he thought, she only lived one street away from him.
He didn’t look at the contents of the envelope but thought quite understandingly that if she was carrying it in her handbag it must be of some importance.
So he set off to close the distance that had opened up between them.

She was a small woman but she covered the ground quite quickly regardless, Ken was a foot taller with longer legs and yet he was still struggling to catch her.
Cathy had noticed the man as they passed by, and she thought him quite handsome, and was at the time disappointed they weren’t going the same way.
But now she had noticed that he was following her and she didn’t think him so handsome.
As pretty as she was from the front he had to say she had a very nice rear aspect and those busy little legs of hers were really very attractive.
As she walked faster so did he and she was walking as fast as her little legs could carry her and she thought she would easily reach the exit from the park before he caught her.
But then her legs began to tire and it was like she was walking through treacle and he was gaining on her with every stride
Luke called after her as he got closer but she had earpieces in so she couldn’t hear him.
She glanced over her shoulder and was alarmed to see he was muttering to himself as he got closer.
Cathy was in sight of the gate just as Ken got close enough to put a hand on her shoulder and she turned around and maced him.
“Get away you pervert” she screamed
“What the fuck did you do that for?” he shouted as the spray began to burn his eyes
“Because you’re a pervert” she said
Ken was rubbing his eyes while still clasping the envelope.
“I was trying to give you this” he said waiving it in her direction “it fell out of your bag”
“What?” she exclaimed and snatched the envelope from his hand, she quickly read the address and then the full realisation dawned on her
“Oh god” she said “I’m so sorry I thought you were…”
“A pervert” he said “you did mention it”
“Don’t rub them you’ll just make them worse” she advised and then produced a small bottle of water from her bag
“This will help” she said and splashed water in his enflamed eyes “it also helps if you blink a lot”
“What helps it not getting sprayed in the first place” he corrected her
“Yes, sorry again” she said “but I was scared it looked like you were chasing me”
“I had to chase you, you were like a whippet” he said
“And you were muttering to yourself” she said defensively
“I wasn’t muttering to myself” Ken said “I was trying to speak to you but you had earphones in”
“Oh dear” she said “I really did get it wrong didn’t I?”
“That will teach me to mind my own business in future” he said
“Oh don’t say that” she implored “It was really sweet of you to try”
And she gave him the most dazzling smile which made up to him in part for the discomfiture.
“Let me make it up to you” she said “let me buy you a drink
“I’m won’t be able to get in the Pink Parasol” he said “I’m not wearing anything pink”
“Well that’s not strictly true” She said with a giggle “You haven’t seen your eyes”