'Ray, I think we're in the wrong place.'

Ray Vecchio rolled his eyes heavenwards and prayed for, amongst other things, patience.

'No, we're not.'

The men stood outside a large glass fronted coffee-house in a just-about-to-become-fashionable part of Chicago.

Ray remembered it when it was a place for the average city resident to avoid at all costs, the area having been the scene of almost nightly riots and 'rumbles' between the local gangs.

Now the streets were clean, boarded up houses made good and warehouses previously inhabited by the down and outs of Chicago, had been bought up, gutted and were on the market for young professionals to spend the next 30 years paying off a stratospherically high mortgage.

Fraser stood, at what his friend termed his 'default setting' – hands behind his back and feet firmly planted on the sidewalk.

He was examining the brightly lit building in front of him like it was a minute but vital piece of evidence in a case that had just landed in front of him.

The sign for that evening's event was spelt out, each letter on a separate piece of coloured A4 paper, stretching across the wide window:

'TONIGHT! SPEED DATING!'

Inside, Ray saw the place was busy, lots of people milling about looking apprehensive and sipping coffee.

Small groups of women sat around tables, like politicians at peace talks, leaning over the tables and shooting glances at the men who clung to the edges of the room and the bar area like they were on the Titanic, and this was their lifeboat.

'Ray,' Fraser started to say then stopped.

Ray dropped his head in submission. Confession, he was often told, was good for the soul.

Here went nothing.

'Benny?'

'Yes, Ray?'

'I have a confession.'

'Well, Ray I know you have been trying to reconnect with your faith lately, and although I know you have struggled with the doctrines of the Catholic Church, I really don't think I'm the person you should be talking to. Father McKenzie at St. Faith's, I'm sure would be glad to..'

'Fraser!' Ray held his hands up to bring his friend's attention to the large sign in the window.

'Ah. Yes, well, that is troubling me too.' Fraser told him, rubbing his eyebrow hard.

'Oh yeah?'

'Well, we do appear to have arrived at either the wrong destination or on the wrong evening.'

'No. We don't.'

'I'm sorry, Ray, but I think we have!'

'Benny! Will you just be quiet for a moment? Please?' Ray implored him.

Fraser turned to face his friend and gave him his full attention.

'I lied to you.'

'You did?'

'I did. I'm sorry.'

'Ray?'

'Yes, Benny?'

A moment's silence fell over the pair.

'I'm a little confused, Ray. What exactly did you lie to me about?'

'Argh!!!' Ray threw his hands up in the air in despair, drawing confused looks from a woman inside the coffeehouse. Ray immediately put his arms down again and tried to think calming thoughts.

'Because,' Fraser was saying, 'I really can't work out a time when you might have felt the need or circumstance to tell me a falsehood. Added to which,' he paused again and checked his watch,' it's now 1926 hours and we will miss the start of the poetry reading if we don't find out where it is. Assuming it is tonight?'

Ray held Fraser at arm's length. Mainly because he felt that if he didn't do that, he would be tempted to punch his dear friend in the face to wake him up.

'Fraser, I lied to you about there being a poetry reading tonight. There is no poetry reading.'

'Tonight? Because I'm not that busy for the rest of the week, so I could easily..'

'Benny, I am trying to stay calm here. Please listen to me?'

'I'm listening, Ray.'

'Okay. Here's the deal. We are supposed to be here – right here – tonight. But not for any poetry or other literary related function – okay?'

'Okay.'

'Fraser, we are here to try speed dating. You and me. Okay?'

'Oh.'

'Yeah, I figured you'd say that.'

'Ray?'

'Yeah?'

'What is 'speed dating'?'

'Oh. Well, er, you talk to a bunch of women for three minutes. One at a time.' Ray waved his hands about in explanation.

'Right.'

'So, I'll understand if you don't wanna go through with this. Y'know, because I got you here under, um, false pretences.'

Ray shoved his hands in his coat pocket and turned to go.

Fraser however, squared his shoulders and looked at the room full of people.

'Ray?'

'Yeah?'

'I think I would like to try this.'

Ray wasn't easily surprised. He was quite proud of this facet of his psychological make up. In all his police training and years on the Chicago streets, he had met with few situations that made him take a step back in shock.

This, well, this was one of them.

'Benny? You are joking?'

Fraser coughed loudly and nodded at his friend.

'No, Ray, I am completely serious.'

'But, but, but – you! And women!'

'Ray, I'll admit I have reservations about effectively communicating with women, particularly women from large cities, but I think I need to face my fears, to challenge my worries, and this could be the solution.'

Ray walked back to his friend, whacked him on the back in a congratulatory way and indicated the door.

'Then who am I to stop you! March on Fraser – I follow in your wake!'

Fraser nodded, and strode towards the door. He opened the door and the sound of quiet conversation and the hiss of the espresso machine hit him, along with the smell of coffee, perfume and aftershave.

He paused.

He took a deep breath, plastered a brave smile on his face and stepped into the building.

Ray followed him in, and they walked up to the 'Welcome!' desk where a young man and young woman where talking.

'Ooooooooooo – latecomers!' the young woman, wearing a badge that read 'Hi! I'm Beth!', greeted them. Her eyes lit up at the sight of Fraser, and she fluttered her eyelashes at him.

'Er, Good evening, Miss.' Fraser replied, and shot a look at Ray for help.

'Hiya. I booked a coupla places – under the names of Vecchio and Fraser?'

The young man, whose badge revealed his name was 'Steve' checked his clipboarded list.

'Er, hang on,' he said, as he trailed his finger down the paperwork, 'Yeah, here you are.'

He produced badges and told them to write their names on them.

Beth leapt forward with a pen and hovered over Fraser as he removed his coat.

'Benny?'

'Yes, Ray?'

'You might want to stick with 'Ben' tonight?'

'Ah. Whose he?'

'Fraser! I just mean, I don't think 'Benton', 'Fraser' or 'Benny' on your name badge is gonna help any – okay?'

'Ah – right you are.' Fraser printed his shortened first name on his badge and Beth took advantage of his passing the pen to Ray, to step forward and press the sticker on his sweater.

'Thank you, er, Beth.'

She fluttered and gazed up into his eyes.

'You're quite welcome, Ben.'

Ray handed the pen back to her, which she took, and then she slowly turned and walked back to the welcome table.

Ray didn't miss the wink she gave his friend over her shapely shoulder, and neither did Fraser. He blushed slightly and cleared his throat.

'Coffee?'

'Good idea, Ray.'

'Gentlemen?' Steve called, making them both turn around.

'Yeah?'

'Better grab something quick, we're about ready to start.'

'Great – thanks!' Ray nodded and headed for the bar.

Fraser followed, mumbling, 'Oh dear..' under his breath.

What would his grandmother say if she only knew?

And what had possessed him to think this was a good idea?