“I agree.” He tapped again.
“I thought these were supposed to start an argument?”
“Just wait. The next matchup is Bean Bag Chair versus Camping Chair.”
“Camping,” I answered without hesitation.
Cole’s smile disappeared. “You’re joking.”
“You think Bean Bag Chairs are better?”
“Obviously. They’re much more comfortable.”
“You can’t get out of them!” I argued. “You sink into them, then have to roll sideways.”
“Still better than a Camping Chair.”
I scoffed in disbelief. “Camping Chairs are extremely versatile. They fold up and fit into a bag you can throw over your shoulder!”
“That’s extra work. Bean Bag Chairs don’t require anything. They’re ready to go.”
“A pile of dog poop isready to go, but that doesn’t mean I want to sit in it!”
Cole busted out laughing, covering his mouth and almost spitting out his beer.
“Okay, I get why this started such a big fight,” I admitted.
“We haven’t even gotten to the tough ones yet,” Cole said. “Wait until we get to Stools versus Booths.”
“What? A booth isn’t a chair!”
“Sure it is,” he argued, gesturing to the booths we were currently sitting in. “It’s basically a long chair without armrests.”
I threw up my hands. “No it’s not!”
For the next twenty minutes, we nibbled on our appetizers and argued aboutchairs, of all things. It was good natured, and I had to admit that it was a great way to get to know someone.
“Okay, we’re down to Recliner versus Rocking Chair in the final,” Cole said. “Which is the greatest chair?”
“The one chair to rule them all,” I said dramatically. “You know my opinion on Recliners. I think ithasto be Recliner.”
His eyes widened in surprise. “I thought forsureyou were going to pick Rocking!”
“Why?”
“Because you’re from Charleston. The airport is famous for having rocking chairs in the terminal.”
I gave him a polite smile. “You’re thinking of Charlotte.”
He let out a long sigh. “Damnit. You’re right. They both start with C and are in South Carolina.”
“Charlotte is inNorthCarolina, actually.”
He groaned and gestured with a French fry. “I’m from Vancouver. My Carolina knowledge is limited. Why are there two of them, anyway? You Americans have too many states. British Colombia is the size of thirty Carolinas.”
“I’ll be sure to let my Senator know,” I joked.
The waitress reappeared, and we ordered our main courses and another round of drinks. Cole got up to use the bathroom, so I flagged the waitress down and asked for a pen and children’s menu. By the time Cole got back, I had my own bracket drawn on the back.
