All the events in Ulysses by James Joyce take place on June the 16th, the day when he went on his first date with Nora Barnacle. I tried to convey his feelings and thoughts while he was preparing for that date in the story Rendezvous in my story collection Slaves to Desire:
Touch me. Soft eyes. Soft soft soft hand. I am lonely here…
‒ James Joyce
06/16/1904.
I will see her tonight. Five days ago she left me waiting until nocturnal shadows openly ridiculed me, but tonight we will meet. Nora responded to my letter and assured me that she will come this time. I look at her note. Messy handwriting, clumsy sentences, ordinary hard paper, unfragranced, callous dark blue ink. However, that piece of paper fills me with fluttering anticipation. I will see her tonight. I haven’t been this excited about a rendezvous with a girl for a long time.
Am I so enthusiastic about Nora just because I had already given up hope when she didn’t show up the first time? It is understandable that I am more eager since the prospect of seeing her after that initial disappointment seems like a prize, like a colourful candy that a mother first refuses to her child and then thinks better of it; that candy is always sweeter than the ones obtained without pleading and effort. But what if she doesn’t come again? If she is just toying with me? No, I won’t think like that. Nora isn’t a cheap minx who finds small satisfaction in playing with me. How do you know she isn’t? Shut up, I just know. What do you even know about her? Enough! Ah, did your soul recognize its mate in that unattractive chambermaid? You will not achieve much with such unfounded poetic reflections. Shut up, snake-tongued! When a man knows ‒ he knows.
I must not allow doubts to overcome me. Slender Nora with gold in her hair will come tonight because she is dying to see me. I wonder if I could skip coffee and take her to Ringsend, where we can kiss and grope. No, of course I cannot, such things aren’t acceptable. However, what is wrong with walking by the docks? No chaste girl will agree to go to such a dark place on the first rendezvous, even if she wants to kiss. A man must make an effort with good girls, take them to the theatre or a brightly lit teahouse where she would devour a chocolate cake if that wouldn’t suggest immoral self-indulgence…
