Dramatis Personae:
Her: Cute blond girl. Perfect mix of sexy smart and awesome fun. Joie de vivre meets the girl who reads the Financial Times and the Economist (btw, two of the best publications ever).
Me: Awesome in every respect. Slightly bookish, but sense of humor, wit, intelligence, smile, and love of travel and wine makes up for it. Sartorial instinct is conservative with hints of rebellion against the trends. Also enjoys Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as well the Little Mermaid (also, Aladdin and sometimes Beauty and the Beast) as well as those fancy movies we’re supposed to like…and Wedding Crashers.
Scene:
Starbucks. She enters in search for that pick-me-up that only a dark roasted blend can provide. She’s comfortable and happy with her life, her job, her friends, etc. But she’s aware of that certain….something. That intangible awareness that there are still paths to be taken, but, more importantly — not to be taken alone, but with that one person she can finally share that path with. He is already sitting at the Starbucks; indeed, he has been there for the past 5 hours studying the law so that one day he may apply it in order to bring justice to those who have none, and to bring hope to those who need it so much. And while his life of studying the law for a greater purpose might give great meaning, he, too, is aware that there is a comfort in the idea that maybe, just maybe, he might not have to watch Indiana Jones alone.
She enters, he looks up, and they make eye contact. Startling them both, it is electric and instantaneous. She smiles, he tries to be subtle but ends up failing miserably only to break out into a grin. She finds it endearing. Hope flourishes for both. She gets her coffee, wondering what to do next, he nurses his latte frantically thinking of the right way to say hello and invite her to his table. They make eye contact again as she is up at the counter ordering her drink, and again, the smiles.
She has such a nice smile, he thinks…how can he impress upon her to linger and share a drink with him? How can he impress upon her to stay longer and to have dinner with him later that week…or even today! No, too soon, he thinks…
She finds his smile disarming, she thinks. Should she be bold and sit with him? Should she wait for him to stand up? What are her plans today? This week? She’s busy all week, but she knows that she would cancel things…but should she? She pays the barista for her coffee and as she walks to get cream and sugar, he steps up to meet her. They smile, they are both smitten, she agrees to sit with him for “a little bit”.
While both are trying to play it cool, neither can deny — nor do they want to — the instant attraction and the pervasive awareness that this-just-may-be-IT. She sees his iphone, and pulls out her own, the conversation turns to music…it turns out that they both like the same kind and their hopes flare and glow brighter than the sun. While not dispositive, similar musical taste encourages them both to be bold because, once they like the same music….it opens the doors to one of the potentially best dates ever…the concert date.
But no, too soon, she tells herself; he trying to restrain himself from asking her out after only 3 minutes..“it’s too soon!” he reminds himself!
Instead, to calm the bubbling desire and hope, she asks about his ‘Torts’ book. He is happy! She wants to know about Torts! He got an ‘A’ in this class! He begins to tell her about it: The word “tort” derives from the French word “wrong,” as in the verb ‘to wrong’ and it’s an analysis of how one can – absent criminal circumstances – bring legal charges against another who has ‘wronged’ them, or, in modern-day legal vernacular, committed a tortious act against them…
Her eyes glaze over.
He then, excitedly, discuss the elements of intentional torts and discusses hypotheticals.
She remembers that ‘torte’ is a french pastry and starts thinking about what she wants to have for dinner tonight. Gym first, then dinner/drinks with friends?
He moves from intentional torts to negligence. He discusses the case where the woman thinks she’s batman and can fly. He laughs.
But if she goes to the gym in the morning, she’ll be able to get work early. That’s a better idea, she thinks.
He starts talking about strict liability. Finally! Someone who listens, he thinks! This is the one for me!
She remembers that she actually likes hiking and that going on paths alone probably isn’t that bad.
“Wait a minute,” he thinks, “Torts is boring. No one cares about this…why am I talking about it to a beautiful girl?!”
But it’s too late…at least the bar next door helps the pain go away.
Fin.