Copyright (c) 1994 
 
                             COUPLES
                         By Michael Hahn
 
     Terry swung into the driveway beside a modest split-level, 
exhaled loudly, and switched off the ignition. Chris apparently 
wasn't home yet, so dinner would be up to Terry. It wasn't the 
best way to relax after a long day debugging code. 
     Terry unlocked the door, dropped the mail on the table in 
the hall, and checked the answering machine. No messages. Chris 
has apparently stirred up some orange juice before leaving this 
morning; the cold, citrus sting felt good. 
     As Terry stood before the open refrigerator, a second car 
pulled into the driveway. The door opened, and Chris' cheery 
voice floated in from the hallway. 
     "Hey, good-lookin', where are you?" Chris was thumbing 
through the mail when Terry walked into the living room. "I was 
trying to figure out what to have for dinner," Terry said as they
embraced. 
     "What the hell--let's go out tonight," Chris smiled. 
"After all, it's probably my turn to cook anyway." Now they were
both smiling, and, shrugging, Terry asked, "Chinese?" 
     "Sounds good," Chris said, ushering Terry out and locking 
the door behind them. 
     "How were things at the brokerage today?" Terry asked, 
as the two walked arm-in-arm to Chris's car. 
                              *** 
     Pretty boring, huh? "What," you ask, "is the big deal about
a few minutes in the lives of a systems programmer and a 
stock-broker?" 
     They seem like the typical two-income household, right? 
No kids, but that's not all that unusual. They seem to be an 
enlightened couple, at least to the extent that they apparently 
share the domestic chores. They love each other, too. 
     The real question is, who are Terry and Chris? Terence 
and Christine? Teresa and Christopher? Terence and Christopher? 
Teresa and Christine? You won't find the answer in the story. 
     And the bigger question:  does it matter? 
                               END