Not long into their walk they passed a small park that lay silent by the side of the road. It stretched back from the sidewalk into the darkness and was watched over by large, spreading trees. The faintest glimmer of reflected moonlight betrayed the presence of a shallow pond reposing under the overhanging leaves.

Andrew looked up suddenly upon beholding this restful spot of nature. He smiled happily and turned to his companion. “Look at this little park by the road. It will always be dear to me, for it was here, down by the water, that I met the girl I am now devoted to.”

“It seems a lovely spot,” Matt noted approvingly.

“Come, let us go down to the water and I will show you just how enchanting it is,” Andrew coaxed.

Matt assented agreeably and the two departed from the sidewalk and ventured unhurriedly to the water’s edge. The surrounding grass was slick and somewhat treacherous due to a shower earlier in the day.

Andrew cautiously negotiated the edge of the pond as the two companions walked side by side. “It was just over there,” he said while pointing to the opposite shore, “that I met he-” His remark was cut short by an exclamation of surprise from Matt as he seemingly lost his footing and plunged suddenly into the cold water of the pond.

“Oh dear!” Andrew exclaimed, leaping to pull his friend out of the water. Matt emerged from the pond soaking wet and looking quite pathetic. They both began to laugh.

“Well, this is fine!” Matt declared. “I can’t very well make my proposition in this state, can I?”

“No indeed,” Andrew agreed. “You will have to get a change of clothes as quickly as possible. Why, what luck!” he exclaimed, for a cab happened to be passing at precisely that moment. Running into the street, Andrew halted the cab and helped Matt inside. “If you take this cab home you can change and lose little time. You will still be able to see your girl tonight.” Matt nodded his thanks and the cab pulled away from the curb.

Andrew continued walking with an amused look on his face. The accident of the pond seemed to have tickled him greatly. However, he had only taken a few steps when he was hailed from behind by a familiar voice.

The cab had stopped again and Matt was standing on the sidewalk, dripping wet but calling to Andrew nonetheless. “Come!” he called “I will lose no great time by having to walk, so I insist that you take this cab so that you will be reunited with your love all the quicker.”

Andrew protested vehemently, insisting that it was unnecessary, but Matt would not be persuaded against it. Finally, Andrew reluctantly accepted. As he took his seat, Matt shouted to the driver “Take this man to Morris Street, quickly!” Then with a wave he walked away.

The cab pulled out and Andrew relaxed in his seat. The quiet streets passed by slowly and rhythmically. The silence became restful and Andrew once again began to pass into a reverie of thought. Gradually, by degrees, his eyes began to close.

Many minutes later, he suddenly leapt awake in his seat. The cab was still moving but the passing streets were unfamiliar. It seemed to Andrew that they should have arrived at Morris Street long ago.

“I say,” he called to the cab driver. “Where are you taking me?”

“To Moss Street, of course, just like the other man said,” the driver responded amiably.

“But he said Morris, not Moss!” Andrew exclaimed impatiently.

The driver became confused. “I thought for sure he said Moss Street.”

“I assure you he did not. We should have been heading for Morris Street this whole time. Just think of all the time we’ve wasted!”

“I’m terribly sorry. I’ll turn around right away.” The cab driver seemed genuinely contrite and Andrew graciously decided to forgive the mistake.

The rest of the journey was uneventful, though Andrew surely had plenty of time to reflect on the mishaps that had befallen both him and Matt in their quests. In fact, he most certainly did consider the previous events, because he began to laugh as he rode along. His mood was greatly improved by the time he reached his destination.

The cab stopped at the entrance to Morris Street and Andrew was deposited on the sidewalk. He eagerly ran to the door of one of the houses and knocked several times.

No response was forthcoming so he knocked again more forcefully. Finally, the door slowly cracked open. A young lady peered out and asked who was there.

“Hello Emily, it’s Andrew. Certainly Amy is home?”

The girl smiled and nodded, opening the door wide. As Andrew stepped inside, a cry of greeting was heard from a back room. With a flourish and a smile, another girl roughly the same age as the first appeared. “Andrew!” she exclaimed happily. “You should have told me you were coming!”

“Hello Amy,” Andrew stepped towards her but was interrupted by a knock on the door. “I wonder who that is,” Amy said as she opened the door. Emily stood back and watched silently.

“Why, Matt!” Amy exclaimed in surprised. She stared out the door with a look of confusion. “We weren’t expecting you here also!”

“What do you mean, ‘also’?” Matt’s voice came from outside the door. He pushed his way past the girl and into the house. He saw Emily standing to the side, then, as he turned back, his eyes met Andrew’s. The two young men paused suddenly and then stepped towards each other.

“What are you doing here?” Matt demanded angrily. “Look here, friend, the girl is mine!”

“On the contrary, you are the one with no business here.” Andrew threatened darkly.

“What in the world?” Amy exclaimed. “What are you two prattling on about? I see you’ve met before, but this is no way for you to behave.”

“Matt,” Emily stepped forward quietly and put her arm on Matt’s shoulder. “Don’t be angry dear.”

“Dear?” Andrew’s face took on an expression of great confusion.

“Well, what do you expect?” Matt questioned angrily. “Certainly you must know that Emily is completely devoted to me, regardless of your low intentions.”

“But,” Andrew responded, an understanding light beginning to emerge in his eyes, “I came here to see Amy!”

“Not Emily?” Now Matt was confused.

“Of course not! And now I see that you did not come for Amy.”

As the realization finally dawned for the two, they both began to laugh. Amy and Emily looked on in confusion.

“So, we both suspected the other of trying to steal our girl,” Matt said, chuckling. He continued to smile as he took Emily in his arms and Andrew reached for Amy’s hand. Suddenly, Matt’s brow darkened again. “Wait, what did you say about your girl’s sister? How dare you call Emily repulsive!”

“Ha!” Andrew responded, remembering their earlier conversation. “I was not the one who called Amy a ‘veritable dog’!” A sudden angry light came into his eyes as he remembered something further. “Then again, I should expect that from someone who would bribe a cab driver to take me to the other side of town!”

“Ah, so you noticed,” Matt grinned maliciously. “It was no worse than you tripping me into the pond to keep me from coming here.”

The two girls were quite horrified by this additional outburst. They stepped back as the two men shot angry glances at each other. Finally, Emily broke the silence. “Now boys, don’t be angry at each other. Matt, I’ve guessed why you came here, and since we’re to be married and Andrew and Amy clearly are, too, you two will be brothers.” She smiled in an attempt to sweeten the mood.

“Well,” Matt mumbled, “I guess he was right to be suspicious. I was too, in fact. And I suppose I can forgive him for what he said about you.” He looked up at Andrew and slowly held out his hand.

Andrew took the offered hand and began to smile. “I can do the same, too. In fact, I’m glad you think Amy is so ugly, because then I know you’ll never try to take her from me.”

Everyone laughed this time and the incident seemed to finally be passed them. As they all walked together into the living room of the sisters’ home, Andrew turned to Matt. “With all that said, I really don’t see how you could think Amy to be anything less than beautiful. Then again, I guess they’re right when they say true love is blind, brother.”