Reviewed by Sonia

Kimberly is a hardened 21 year old trapped in the reality of being a single mother. Tommy is a hitch-hiker who wants to experience life and discover what people "truly" are. "One True Night" is the story of an encounter between them.

The dialogue between Kimberly & Tommy starts off guarded, Kimberly is street-wise. I'm not convinced she would take him to her home, but maybe she craves companionship more than her character allows her to show. Once at Kimberly's home the dialogue revolves around honesty and truth. Tommy wants to experience "one true night", claiming he hitch-hikes so he can see the people behind the convention, and social restraints - but does he?

Tommy's attitude makes Kimberly zoom in on her life and what she really wants - she is honest with him. He retreats, saying he can not make her life better in one night, he is right of course, but his selfishness makes her feel her loneliness more acutely.

The story is based on an interesting premise, and made me think about perceptions and expectations in relationships and life. How much honesty do we really want in our casual relationships, and how much can we take?

On the craft side - two phrases strike me as out of place. "63 stations, and there was nothing worth watching", did any one else hear Bruce Springsteen as they read this??? This phrase is a little cliched, and I think her restlessness would be shown better by her channel hopping and not be able to settle (action/showing versus telling). "pubic area", ok so I can't offer an alternative (without going Mills & Boon on you), but it doesn't quite work - it's too clinical to be used with "caressed".

One short scene when Kimberly's daughter cries seems superfluous to me, what does it add to the story?

Whether you read this story as optimistic, pessimistic or realistic will depend on your outlook. Which ever way you look at it I think Zalman hopes you'll be unable to avoid re-examining your own values, however briefly; and well - it happened to me!