As I walked along the road towards my unit Macy came around the corner in her mother's Red Ford Fiesta. She honked the horn and stopped beside me. "Hey, Jazz. Get in."

"What are you doing here?" I beamed, excited to see a friendly face.

"I had to drop my Nan home so thought I'd pop by for a visit."

Macy is my second-best friend. Sometimes, she's a bit of an airhead, but she has a good heart. Her hair is beautiful auburn which she keeps cropped in the latest fashion.

"You want to get some takeaway?" she asked.

"Yeah, okay. There's a Noodle Box near the crossing."

"Sounds great!" Macy hit the accelerator and took off. Her air-headedness comes into play in a big way when she's behind the wheel of a car. I can't tell you how often I have my feet jammed into the floor mat. She darts in and out of traffic without any concentration at all. At least it appears that she isn't concentrating.

When we got to my block of units, Percy was unlocking his door. It struck me that Macy might be what was needed. She never gets upset over guys. At least she doesn't show it. Macy focuses on the next one and she doesn't go for the same type of guy.

"Hey, Mace. Do you mind if I invite Percy to eat with us?"

"I didn't know you liked him." She gave me a lured grin and jiggled her eyebrows.

"I don't, not in that way. He had me over for dinner. It'd be nice to repay the gesture, but I don't want him to get the wrong idea." I shrugged and grinned at her. "You would be doing me a big favour if you flirted with him. I think he has a crush on me, but if he had someone else to focus on...he'd..."

Macy laughed, turned off the engine and looked at where Percy stood in the light of his doorway. "Attractive. I've never slept with an Indian man before." Her amber eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Macy..." I rolled my eyes at her. "I don't mean for you to have sex with him. Show him there are other girls in the big wide world. He's been in Australia for a few months. Who knows he might even have a wife back in his home country. I'm sure he's lonely because he doesn't appear to have friends."

"You leave it to me, Jazz. I work with an Indian girl." She paused and tilted her head. "She could be from Pakistan. Anyway, go ahead and ask him."

I grinned and lifted the boxes of food.

As soon as I got out of the car Percy called, "Hello, Jasmine Baker!"

I waved.

"Jasmine Baker?" Macy whispered and giggled.

"He always calls me that," I said. "It's his way of being polite."

"Don't tell him my last name, will you," Macy said with a laugh. "Imagine that. Hello Macy Muffton, can I kiss you? Hello Macy Muffton, please take your panties off. Hello Macy Muffton, I'm putting it..."

"Stop," I said. "Percy would never ask you those questions." I burst into laughter. Macy had a sick sense of humour. Her surname has always been a joke to us. Being spelt with "ff" is the spinner because she calls her vagina "Miss Muff". Instead of telling us she picked up a hot guy she says, "Miss Muff scored last night."

Macy laughed as we crossed the car park.

"You be having a joke with your friend, Jasmine Baker, yes," Percy said.

Macy laughed again. I found it hard to disappear the image of Percy stripping a girl of her knickers and informing her of what he was doing.

"Hi, Percy, this is Macy. We're having some Noodle Box for dinner. Satay Chicken and Nasi Goring. Would you like to eat with us?"

"Ah...yes. That would be very nice. Thank you." He did the happy puppy act, hung his head and peered at Macy from under his brows. "Hello, Macy it is nice to be meeting you." Percy looked back at me. "I will be having a shower, yes."

"Sure, Percy, we'll see you soon," I said.

Macy giggled and shoved me in the back. We hurried up the stairs and into my unit before she let out another burst of laughter. "This will be fun, Jasmine. He has lovely eyes. Like a cute little boy. Big and brown with thick lashes."

I had second thoughts about Macy being good for Percy.

*

It turned out great. She got him talking about where he came from and he didn't have a wife back home.

"There is a girl," he said. "Our parents would like us to marry but she is like me. She wants to make her way in the world and is now in England studying. She has met someone so that lets me...how you say...off the catch."

We laughed with him. "Hook," I corrected.

I noticed Percy glance at Macy. I was sure he blushed but it was hard to tell with his beautiful rich olive skin.

"Percy, would you like to come to a party with me on Saturday?" Macy asked. "It's a work party and the chances are it'll be boring but I work with some lovely people."

"That would be very nice, Macy but I drive the taxi on Saturday nights."

"It's at lunchtime and should be finished by four," Macy said. "One of the ladies is leaving. It's a farewell at a restaurant in Footscray and we can bring a plus one."

Percy's eyes lit in excitement. "Plus, one? What does this mean?"

"Oh," Macy said wide-eyed. "It means I can bring a friend. Would you like to come?"

"Yes," Percy said with a huge smile. "I would very much like to come. Thank you, Macy."

She said, "I'll pick you up around eleven thirty."

They talked some more while I went for a shower. When I came out Macy said she was going home. Percy followed her. I looked out the window, he stood beside her car wearing a big grin. Macy definitely had a way with men.

Yikes! I hope Macy goes easy on Percy.

She might be too much of a party girl for him.

Photo copyright - Getty Images.

Words - 1000