I am an accountant with in the Trust Department of a large bank in my city. It is and has been my only job since I graduated from college and I enjoy it. I know you are thinking that accountants are never considered the life of a party which is true; in fact we are grateful just to be invited. People tend to generalize certain professionals like engineers, accountants and other nerdy types. Unfortunately or fortunately you aren't sought out at a party for professional advice or opinion.
There came a day at the office that completely changed my personal life. I was working on the quarterly reports when Jack, my VP, came to my desk with a woman a few years my junior in tow.
"Janet Kelly, I want you to meet Larry Perkins. Larry, this is Janet your new protégé. Before you ask, I will tell you. I am heading up a new products group that will be launched next year and I want you on the team. So I need you to teach Janet your job. This way she can work with you for all the routine reports and more especially the year end reporting. I'll have you help her get started for the tax season too but by April I want you spending more time in your new job. OK?" What could I do but say, "yes sir."
Janet sat down and I fetched us some coffee. We talked about her education and much to my delight we attended the same college and even had many of the same professors. Reminiscing about those days and the shared school history made it easy for both of us to relax and just talk. Just looking at Janet and I hate to type cast but she typified the image of an accountant. She was conservatively dressed, very little make up, glasses that didn't draw any attention, about 5' 5" in an average body, and really just a plain looking face. Unbelievably and much to my surprise and delight, I was immediately attracted to her. If 'love at first sight' is real, the 'I'm a believer.'
In the Trust department we are driven by three things: tax code, forms, and deadlines. There are always plenty of each or sometimes all three at the same time. I really enjoyed working with Janet and fortunately she proved to be an excellent student. We kept everything on a professional level and only went to lunch together when it was the occasional Friday outing. She thought it was quite normal that we always went to the same restaurant and soon had the menu memorized just like the rest of us.
We had worked three months together and it was time for her first quarterly filings. It is tedious, and given the number of clients involved, it requires several long days. After a long week, we finished late Saturday afternoon and breaking a bit of accountant decorum, we actually high fived. I suggested we celebrate and go out to dinner. She agreed but only if we go Dutch. We both enjoy Italian so the selection of the restaurant was easy and since Janet takes the bus to and from work, I drove.
We settled in a quiet booth and I ordered a bottle of wine. Janet confided with me that she is uncomfortable with ordering wine because she doesn't know what to order. I laughed and told her I was pretty much a novice at a lot of things myself. "Sometimes," I said, "you have to break out of your cocoon, and try something new. Scary as it may seem."
We toasted to long week, quarterly reporting, and to the Trust Department. I said, "I want to give a toast to you Janet, for going from student to co-worker in a very short time. You are a joy to work with."
She blushed and said how much she enjoyed working with me and was sorry that soon I'll be leaving the department. I reached over and put my hand on hers and said, "At least we have a few more months."
She didn't remove her hand but instead smiled, took the wine glass and said, "To working long days and reports."
After the first glass of wine, we both began to loosen up more. When I asked her what was her biggest regret she looked at me and said in a very serious voice, "if I tell you, you must promise never to tell a soul." I nodded and said I would never betray a confidence. "Well," she said, "I've never much of a social life. Nerds like me don't get invited to join a sorority, and especially when you are not pretty. I'm 22; I've never been on a real date, and never been kissed like a woman wants to be kissed." She paused and there were tears in her eyes.
I took her hand in mine and kissed it. "If I were Cary Grant I would say something witty in a moment like this but all I can say is that you are and have been the best part of my day. Words fail me to express how much I enjoy being with you." I took my handkerchief and dried her eyes. "I want you to know that I care about you very much."
