Saturday, December 14, 2013

Congratulations on Getting to Know Her a Little Better!



When you walk into her apartment you'll immediately be struck by how much Nazi memorabilia she has.

"You've got a lot of Nazi memorabilia," you'll announce.

She'll poke her head around the corner dividing the living room, which could be called "the Nazi memorabilia room," from the kitchen, with a smile.

"Sorry, what?  I didn't catch that."  Her face will be smudged with flour - it'll look like she's baking.

"This is a pretty big collection of Nazi stuff," you'll repeat, in the most neutral tone you can.

Her face will light up.  "Thanks!  It's one of the biggest in North America!"

After that she'll go back to the kitchen and get back to apparently baking.  You'll be left out there, looking through portraits of Hitler smiling ecstatically, old Wermacht rank insignias, SS tags.  A glass case will contain a rifle, ancient but perfectly maintained.  Its stock, weathered with age, will be polished to a hearty red color.  It'll be clear she takes a lot of pride in her Nazi memorabilia.

When she comes out of the kitchen with a glass of wine for you clutched in one hand and a glass of wine for her clutched in the other, grin from ear to ear, you'll have to ask.

"Why do you have all this?"

She'll look puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

You'll wave your arm at everything in the room.

"Why do you have all the Nazi stuff?" you'll delicately rephrase.  Her face will light up again.

"Oh!  It's just something I'm really into!"  That response won't clarify things for you, so you'll tell her:

"That comment really didn't clarify anything for me."  She'll smile and cock her head a little, like she wants you to speak directly into her ear, waiting for you to refine your question.  "Do you just really love history?"

"Oh!  No.  I just really love the White race!"

It'll take you a second to process that response.  The joy behind it, the raw enthusiasm, will throw you off.  Most racists are usually angry or bitter.  She'll be warm, sunny, welcoming.  But as you look at the images in her room, you'll think about her OkayCupid profile.  The last line, where she said "No ******s" will seem more ominous than it did at the time.  Likewise, the confederate flag bumper sticker on the back of her 1998 Honda Accord will suddenly seem a lot less ironic.

You'll be left in a difficult situation.  It will now be clear that your date is a racist.  She'll also be really attractive, and this will be the fourth date, the date where sex stuff often happens.  If you leave now, you won't get laid for certain, and it's been a while.  Like, two years.  You'll also have to tell your friends that you stopped going out with that amazing woman you've been telling them about because she was a racist, which is an insane phrase to have to say to people.

On the other hand, if you stick around, you'll end up sleeping with a woman who has dedicated one of the two rooms in her apartment to Nazi memorabilia.

It'll be a difficult choice.  You'll have until you finish that glass of wine to decide what to do.  We can't see beyond this moment, so whatever you do, don't tell her about your grandmother who survived Auschwitz.  It won't go over well.

Congratulations on Getting to Know Her a Little Better!

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