The Shortest Date – A Very Short Story 💔

A woman challenges a man’s idea of self-worth during a brief café date, revealing the difference between ego and true identity.

Copyright © Priya Florence Shah

Aarti walked into the cafe. She looked around and saw Sunil sitting there. He was just as he looked in his photo online. He looked around nervously, as if he was trying to figure out what he was doing there.

Aarti walked up to him and said, “Sunil? Hi, I’m Aarti.” Sunil smiled uncomfortably and stood up. “Nice to meet you,” he said. They sat down.

“What will you have, Aarti? Coffee, tea, a snack?” Sunil asked. Aarti smiled. “Nothing,” she said. “Let’s just talk for a bit first.”

“Sure,” Sunil said, a fleeting look of surprise washing over his face. “So tell me about yourself, Sunil,” said Aarti, with a long-practiced look that revealed no expression.

Sunil started talking about himself. He told her about his Ivy League education, his high-earning job, his family’s status in the community, his salary and savings, and how he enjoyed working out in the gym.

He leaned back, crossing his arms with a smirk. “As you can see, any woman would be lucky to have me.”

Aarti remained expressionless. She had met men like Sunil before – polished, confident, yet hollow beneath the surface. She didn’t judge, only wondered how long it would take for him to reveal it.

Aarti asked him, “Tell me, Sunil… who would you be without all this – your job, your looks, your money, your family’s name?”

Sunil’s jaw tightened as a quick flash of anger passed over his face. “What do you mean?”

“Just imagine,” she said softly. “If it all vanished tomorrow, who would you be then?”

“What do you mean? How dare you!” said Sunil, indignantly.

Aarti smiled gently. “Humor me,” she said. “Imagine tomorrow that you had none of these things? Who would you be?”

Sunil’s face fell as he realised she was not trying to insult him. A thoughtful look fell over his face as he tried to think of an answer.

Finally, after a few minutes, he looked at her directly and said, “I don’t know what you mean. All I know is that I would be nothing without these things.”

Aarti replied softly, “You think you need all these things to be someone. But I… even if I lost everything today, I’d still be me.”

She rose, her chair scraping softly against the floor. “And that’s the difference between us.”

Sunil watched her leave, the sound of her footsteps fading – and for the first time, he had nothing to say.