Lester signed.
His lunch break was almost over and Mia hadn’t let him enjoy a single minute of
it in peace. She pestered him from across their office’s tiny breakroom table ever
since he clocked-out and she showed no signs of relenting.
“Pleeeeease?” She
leaned in front of him with her hands folded.
Lester shook his
head. “I’m just not comfortable with blind dates.”
“Don’t be a
coward.” She punched him in the shoulder. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
Hi sipped the
last of his soft drink. “I’ve had too many failed relationships in the past to
jump in without knowing someone first. I’ve learned that there are a lot of qualities
to look for in a woman before I get involved. If they’re not there, then it’s
just a waste of time before we break up and hate each other. I’m tired of
getting hurt.”
“You’re so pessimistic,”
she said, leaning back in her chair. “Maybe that’s why you’re still single.”
He crumbled up
his soft drink cup and tossed it in a wastebasket next to the table. “Look Mia,
you don’t understand how many failed romances I’ve had. It’s made me picky and
I’m proud of that. I want to get married someday and I don’t intend to waste any
more time on dates that will lead to nothing. There is a long list of things your
friend and I would need to have in common before I’d even consider meeting her,
and even then there's no guarantee that we’ll like each other. I think the odds of
meeting someone who is compatible for me are extremely slim, so yes, I’m a little pessimistic about it.”
Mia rolled her eyes. “How about this, Lester… Amanda and I have been friends since
kindergarten and I know her better than anyone. Ask me anything you want
to know about her and we’ll see if she meets your standards.”
Lester looked her
in the eye. “If I do this and she falls short—which is likely—will you drop the
subject?”
“Scout’s honor.” She
held up her hand in a pledge.
“Okay then.” Lester
rapped his fingers on the table while he thought about what
to ask.
There were so
many things to consider—hobbies, religion, political views, age, social
inhibitions, intelligence, temperament, music—he didn’t know where to begin. A
lot was at stake on these questions and he needed to make sure he asked them in
the right order. He took his time evaluating every possibility. Mia feared they
would be late returning to work and was getting ready to punch him again when
he finally spoke up.
“Okay, first
question,” he said, leaning forward in his chair. “Who’s her favorite Beatle?”
“George.” She
replied without hesitation. “Definitely George.”
“George?” he
repeated. “Why would anyone choose George?”
Mia shrugged. “Amanda adores him. She always has.”
Lester leaned
back and thought about this.
“Well?” she
asked.
“Okay Mia, set us
up.” He stood up and walked toward the door.
“Wait, that’s it?
What about all your questions and requirements and high standards?”
Lester stopped
and looked back at her. “Well I didn’t expect you to say George.”
He left the room
and returned to his desk with a big smile. Amanda—what a great name! For the first time in years, he thought he
might be in love.
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