One Day

Wednesday, July 15, 1998. Dexter falls in love with a woman named Sylvie Cope. She’s blonde, and unlike his other girlfriends, he finds her “dead classy.” At dinner one night with Sylvie and her family, he decides that he needs to tell Sylvie “I love you,” something he’s never said before, at least not while sober and on purpose. Sylvie’s family asks about his job, and Dexter says he’s still trying to get some new shows commissioned. Sylvie’s twin brothers Murray and Sam bring up largin’ it, and Mrs. Cope remembers that she used to hate it.

Sylvie says Dexter is being modest and could have a new TV show whenever he wants—he’s just waiting for the right offer. But in fact, Dexter’s life has gotten quieter, and Mayhem TV is still little more than a logo. He gets fewer offers to do promotions and even the conga player from Jamiroquai has stopped calling him. Still, he’s happy because he found Sylvie and they’ve started a habit of going on “mini-breaks,” his name for their spontaneous weekend trips.

Dexter likes that he likes Sylvie more than she probably likes him, seeing her as self-confident and ambitious. After dinner with Sylvie’s family, Dexter helps her load dishes into the dishwasher. He tells her he doesn’t think Murray and Sam like him much, but Sylvie says they don’t much like anyone else. She says she can’t wait to go to bed with him later and doesn’t care if anyone hears them. Dexter likes sex with Sylvie but finds it intimidating and afterward, he feels like he lost a game of squash.

Dexter and Sylvie go to the living room, where Sam and Murray suggest playing a game of “Are You There, Moriarty?” The game involves one person being blindfolded and trying to hit another with a rolled-up newspaper. Sam goes first against Dexter and manages to hit him three times with the newspaper, not gently. Mrs. Cope wishes Dexter better luck next time, but he thinks they’re all enjoying his humiliation. The tournament continues. Dexter notices that Sylvie is very good at dodging.

Sylvie offers Dexter a chance to “bat” against her, even though he lost. Dexter is eager to prove himself, so shortly after he puts on the blindfold, he swings like a baseball player. He makes contact, then sees that he hit Sylvia across the room. Sylvie is bleeding, and Mrs. Cope yells that Dexter didn’t even say “Are you there, Moriarty?” like he’s supposed to. Sam says Dexter must be drunk. Sylvie and Mrs. Cope go to the bathroom, leaving Dexter alone with the rest of the Cope family.

That night, Dexter apologizes to Sylvie in bed. She tries to reassure him that her family liked him before he hit her. They don’t have sex, but Dexter feels more at peace now. All of a sudden, Dexter feels a strange desire to laugh. He’d like to tell the story to Emma, whom he hasn’t seen in two years.