Burning Chrome

Michael Corretti is a divorced, socially awkward linguistics professor who struggles to dress fashionably and relate to other people. He spends his free time going to bars, but he really prefers to avoid interaction even there. One night, Corretti meets a strange, attractive woman named Antoinette in a bar. To his surprise, she is interested in him despite his faltering attempt to talk to her. Corretti senses that something is off about Antoinette but is nevertheless intrigued. After they drink together and chat about country music for a few minutes, she abruptly leaves the bar. Corretti is compelled to follow her.

He watches as Antoinette’s appearance changes before his eyes: Her copper-colored hair becomes platinum blonde, and her dress shape alters. She enters a disco, with Corretti still following. He observes her drinking and dancing with another man, then pursues her through a crowd as her appearance once again transforms. Antoinette repeats the pattern, leaving the disco to go to another bar to talk to another man. Corretti manages to eavesdrop on part of their conversation, in which they casually discuss films. He is overwhelmed by how naturally the man and Antoinette seem to fit in at the bar but is unable to muster up the initiative to confront them.