There is something special about the night, about the dark, about the stillness. There is something that draws both the joyful and the depressed to the night. A quiet street beckons the dreamer to some nocturnal romp.

It was, in fact, a quiet night when a solitary figure emerged into a resting street. He began to stroll purposefully down the sidewalk, occasionally materializing from the dark in the mellow glow of the street lamps.

Had there been more light, one would have undoubtedly detected a merry gleam in the eye of this nocturnal wonderer. A passerby would have perhaps even noticed a faint smile playing across his features for no apparent reason.

A playful gleam and a faint smile are both good reasons to wonder at the mission of such a man. But there was nobody to wonder, which is perhaps another beauty of the night.

Nevertheless, with such a night so seemingly handpicked for adventure, it was inevitable that others would be taking full advantage of the dark. And so, our wandering friend soon found that he was not alone.

Just ahead, another figure was traveling the walk, tripping along with a similar emotion. Curious, our friend began to walk faster, and soon overtook this stranger.

“Evening,” he ventured amiably as he pulled up beside the man.

“Ah, hello,” the other returned.

“Lovely night for a walk,” the first noted.

“It is indeed.”

The first continued walking at his faster pace and passed the other, but a sudden chuckle from behind caused him to slow and turn back.

“Ah, I think you intend something more than a mere walk, if what you carry in your hand is any sign,” said the stranger with a smile.

“You noticed,” the first man responded, revealing a small bouquet of roses. “I admit it freely, and yet I think you are not one to talk.”

The second man laughed. “Truly, I had the same idea myself,” he admitted, holding up a box of chocolates.

The two fell into step beside each other. Strange as it may be, these young men seemed to immediately accept each other. Perhaps they felt unity in their common goal.

“This is a coincidence for sure,” remarked the first. “Let’s stay together until our ways part.”

“Agreed, and we might as well get to know each other. My name is Matt.”

“I am Andrew,” the first answered.

“Well, Andrew. Where does your heart, so to speak, lead you tonight?” Matt smiled as he asked.

“Tonight, though it unnerves me greatly, I am going to propose to the sweetest and most beautiful girl in the world.”

“But that is impossible,” Matt countered with a laugh, “for tonight I will be the one to propose to the sweetest and most beautiful.”

Andrew laughed heartily. “Well, I suppose we will just have to disagree on that point.”

“Yes, I suppose we will. Now, where does she live?”

“She lives not far from here, in Morris Street. Do you know it?”

“Do I know it?” Matt responded with surprise. “Not only do I know it, but it is the very street that my girl lives on!”

“A remarkable coincidence,” Andrew noted.

“Remarkable, indeed. Well,” Matt smiled, “it seems we will enjoy each other’s company the entire way.”

The two continued walking, each possessed with happy thoughts of what was to come. The moon emerged briefly from behind the clouds to cast a gentle shine on the nearly deserted street.

“You know,” Andrew broke the silence with a laugh, “it seems to me that God is sometimes very unequal with his blessings. I have often noted that while my girl is the epitome of beauty, her sister is nearly repulsive.”

“That is a true observation,” Matt responded. “I have seen the very same thing, for my future fiancé has a sister that is most unattractive. If I were not a naturally gracious person I would call her a veritable dog.”

The two laughed heartily. “We are lucky men, then, are we not, to be getting the good side of each family?” Andrew winked.

The thought of their lovers’ beauty seemed to cast a sudden spell over the two moonstruck romancers. Silence reigned again as they walked.

They say that true love is blind, and perhaps this is why not a shade of suspicion seemed to pass between these two. The fact that they both loved girls on the very same street with very unattractive sisters was clearly just a coincidence in their eyes. Whatever the explanation, no sign of jealousy was to be seen. They were each enraptured with their own thoughts, and assured of their future happiness.