The two artists are slow and apprehensive about approaching us. They’re probably used to running in a scenario like this. I feel awkward, and I don’t know what to say. Stain usually fixes these situations.
Stain walks right towards them. “Don’t worry you’re safe for a little while, as long as that couple doesn’t call the cops. We’ll be look out, if you want.”
They step closer to us, remove the hoods from their sweat shirts and reveal their secret identities, female taggers.
It made sense to me now. “The couple thought you were teenagers. It’s because of your shorter thinner stature. They assumed you were boys, not women.”
The pale faced black haired woman nods. “Yeah people do that. We’ve never got caught. The police come, and we just take the hoodies off – instant transformation from secret identity to innocent women trying to get home.”
The girl with the tanned skin and blonde hair introduces them. “I’m Ben and this is Frank. We’ve liberated ourselves from our given names, and we really like Benjamin Franklin.”
I look at Stain with the holy heck eyeballs. “How perfect is this? They have secret identities, and they change the world for the better, regardless of what the law says.”
“Yeah.” Stain pauses. “I think I’m in love.”
“I think I’m in love too.”
“With Lily.”
“Lily?”
“Yeah, the redheaded talent agent from the bar.”
“Yeah, uh, I know who Lily is.” I was a bit perplexed, but hey, who am I to question love?
Stain looks at Ben. “Ben, Frank, what are you guys up to tonight, other than the obvious?”
Frank puts on a cute little pouty face. “We actually have to get home. We both have office jobs in the morning.”
I nod. “That’s cool. That’s life.”
Ben awkwardly walks closer to me. “What do you guys do?”
I’m afraid to answer. I’m never nervous about this, but I’m afraid, really afraid. Stain pipes up before I get the courage.
“I’m Stain, and this is Sappho; we’re superheros. We fight for good.”
I look at Stain with my eureka look. “That’s it. You nailed it, right into the wall. We fight for good. That’s so much better than we fight crime.”
“Yeah, yeah. That’s is it. Man, I totally nailed it. So, do you ladies want to see my superpower?”
Ben looks nervous, but before she can object Frank excitedly weighs in. “Oh, yes, yes we definitely do.”
Stain runs away very quickly. Ben looks at me. “Soooooooo, what’s your superpower?”
“I kinda . . . I just don’t want to say right now.”
Ben gives a bit of a “whatever” eye roll. “It’s cool. We gotta go anyway.”
Frank almost looks sad. “Aw. Why won’t you show me?”
“OK. The things is. My superpower is getting a woman to show me her breasts, but I don’t want to do that with you guys.”
Ben looks a bit angry. “You don’t want to see our tits. That’s fucking bullshit.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I want to see you both, but I’m conflicted. I have such a powerful mental attraction to the two of you. I just don’t want to go straight to the physical. I’d like to go on a date with you and you.”
Ben squints at me. “You want to date us both. Then what? You’ll decide who you like better?”
“No, no, no, no. No! I want the three of us to go on a date. We’d all be on a date together. Dinner and a movie might be nice.”
Ben gives me an ugly, angry look. “That’s weird. Just weird.”
Frank looks back at Ben with a “you’re not being nice” glare. “Ben, don’t be so judgmental. A nice boy is asking us on a date. He’s tall, nice looking, has all of his teeth, and he’s a superhero. He also thinks our art work is cool, and he wasn’t sexist about female taggers. I say we give him a chance.”
“Fine, we’ll give him a chance, but I still think it’s weird. How do we get a hold of you?”
I start fiddling in my pockets as though I might have something to write with, even though I never do. “I need a paper and pen.”
Frank has the pouty face again. “We only have paint.”
I got it. “Stain.”
Ben gives me the ugly face again. “He took off. He’s nowhere around . . . wait, what the hell?”
Stain is back with a swoosh.
“Hey man, can I borrow your sketch pad and pencil?”
Stain pulls out a small sketch pad and pencil. I write my number on it twice. Rip the paper in half, and give one to Frank and one to Ben.
Ben has a bit of a smile on her face. “I still think this is weird.”
I shake my head no. “It’s not going to be weird; it’s going to be magical.”
Ben gives me the middle finger. “You know what’s magical? Magical is a guy asking to see my tits and getting to see them, not a guy asking not to see my tits.”
Before I got a chance to respond, Ben lifts her shirt and bra.
Frank looked amazed. “‘Wow! They really are superheros.” She then lifted her shirt and bra. “We’ll call you.”
Stain and I began to walk away. He put his head half to the side and opened his eyes really wide. “Do you have to do that everywhere we go?”
“Do what?”
“The boob thing.”
“I didn’t do it this time. I actually tried to stop it.”
“Yeah. Right.”