The drab little man in the gray suit entered the bar at five o’clock as usual, huddled on the same bar stool he always did, and waited to order his usual martini.

An almost pretty woman, perched on the next stool, smiled at him as if they were going to be good friends. Then a fellow wearing a loud shirt approached and handed her a rose. As she got up to follow him, a single petal fluttered to the floor.

"Your usual?" the bartender asked.

The man glanced at the rose petal, straightened his shoulders. “I’ll have red wine today.”