Andrew has been quietly smiling at you, all night. Not in an unsettling way. He warmly gazes at you, while you vent about work. You understand it's poor form to exhaustingly discuss office politics on a first date, but it's been a particularly rough day and it's difficult to stop nervously talking while the handsome doctor comfortingly stares back at you.
Online dating services are the worst. Two years have merited zero rewards. You've grown disillusioned by the carbon copies of your ex-fiance, underemployed, emotionally-detached man-children. Maybe, that's all that was left, the good ones having been locked down in college or high school, or even sooner.
You were initially reluctant to allow your friend, Stephanie, set you up on a date. She has always had the worst taste in men. She caught your attention, though, when she told you this guy was a doctor. You're not a gold-digger, but being a doctor requires some semblance of having your shit together, a trait in short supply with the men you've dated.
Dr. Andrew immediately impressed, bringing you to a hole-in-the-wall, Vietnamese restaurant. The seafood pho has been a revelation. You must've walked by this place a hundred times and never given it a second thought. The owner greeted him like he was a member of their family. "Doctor!" she called to him, gathering him in a warm embrace. "You're a very pretty lady," she said, making you blush.
'He must be the nicest guy on the planet', you think to yourself. You don't believe anyone could possibly enjoy listening to you talk this much. You force yourself to rein in your train of thought, hoping he might begin talking about himself.
*****
Oh, no! That sucks!
No, I don't feel you're being irrational, at all. Your boss is wrong to treat you that way. He's clearly perpetuating an antiquated way of thinking. It's a whole new world out there, not that the behavior was acceptable 50 years ago.
I definitely believe that's what it is. He feels intimidated by you. But truthfully, it's difficult to not feel intimidated by a strong, beautiful woman.
No, you're not talking too much. I'm enjoying listening to you. Your voice. I don't know. It's soothing. It's nice. It's been a rough day.
I've never really thought about it. We don't have workplace drama the way your office does. Even the pettiest of people seem to put differences aside when lives are on the line.
I've been working at this hospital for 2 years. But this will be 9 years, total, practicing medicine.
Nothing bad. I just got bored working at a white, upper-class, suburban hospital. 4th of July's were busy, though.
Actually, I never saw a gunshot wound until my first day, here. I was uneasy about my decision, at first. It can be madness. It's chaotic. But it's also great, in a way. People here really seem to be appreciative of what you do.
Oh, my god. We closed down the place, didn't we?. I didn't realize we'd been here that long.
I don't want to stop talking to you, either.
That's a great idea, a place with a view. I know the perfect spot.
-
I swear I'm not an alcoholic. My boss gave this to me as a Christmas present. It's sort of been in my car ever since.
I don't know if it's good or not. I'm not a big liquor drinker. A lot of the people I work with are liquor connoisseurs. They know all that 'single-malt', 'ABV' mumbo-jumbo. I come from a pretty small town. If you were drinking liquor, it was probably Jack or Everclear and you were mixing it without about as much Hawaiian Punch as you possibly could.
Yeah, my parents are still out there. I try to visit them once or twice a year, but I haven't seen them in about nine moths.
Absolutely, I miss them. I talk to my mother on the phone, at least, once a week. I've just been very busy. There's not much time for anything. This is actually my first date in about six months.
No, I don't ever want to move back. I'm pretty intent on making a life for myself out here. Work hard. Find people that are important to me.
We're here.
Don't think of this the wrong way. I know, it looks totally weird, a hotel. I didn't book a room. I just wanted to show you something really, really cool. I must warn you, though, we are technically breaking in.
No, it's nothing like that! Look me in the eyes. I'm telling you, this view from the top is so beautiful, the little bit of danger involved is absolutely worth it. If you do what I say, I promise, you'll thank me later.
