It began in such an ordinary fashion.
I was meeting my friend Benny for a late lunch at a local café I'd heard good things about, but never been to. My meetings with Benny were about the only social life I had, not counting my D&D group that met on Saturday nights. I thought of myself as a decent catch, a just-graduated college student with a degree in electronics and a job at a prestigious computer firm. The problem was that I turned into a stuttering, stammering mess around any girl I found attractive.
I entered the café and found that Benny was just coming in from the side door. "Hi, Larry," he called out cheerfully. "How's life treating you?"
"Oh, the usual," I said. "Not too badly. Now if I could just get a little confidence around women, I'd be just fine."
Benny laughed as we sat down and began studying our menus. I decided to stick with something simple, a roast-beef and cheese sandwich. Benny wanted 2 substitutions and one addition to his order. Then the waitress came by.
She was a shockingly beautiful black woman, my estimate was in her late 20's. Her coal-colored skin was set off beautifully by her white uniform. She was at least 5'11", several inches taller than me, and solid without being fat. Her legs were muscular – "runner's legs", they call that shape. Her arms looked strong, her stomach was as flat as a washboard, and her charms were perhaps 36D and solid, not floppy at all. Her hair framed a face with a beautiful smile and dark eyes that were lovely yet penetrating. I went into stammer mode instantly.
After she took my order, she patiently listened while Benny explained the complicated changes he wanted made to his. Writing it all down, she said, "we can handle this, no problem." I was very impressed with her calm, cool demeanor.
About a minute afterwards, Benny asked me, "why couldn't you just order your meal without stuttering?"
"You know very well why," I responded.
For just a split-second, his eyes seemed to glance at something behind me. Then he looked directly at me and said, "don't be ridiculous, Larry. All she wanted to know was what you were having for lunch."
"You really don't understand the depths of the issue, do you?" I replied. "I get all nervous in any situation where I have to speak to a beautiful woman. Her name tag said 'LaKeysha', but I wouldn't dare call her that. She's absolutely gorgeous. She's also very nice, because she handled your complex order with a smile and a reassuring remark. She's got beauty and brains. If I had any confidence, I'd ask her to lunch. I'd love to find a woman like that to be with, but I just can't say any of this stuff to a woman that perfect without getting a knot tied. I wish I could ask her out."
Benny said quietly, "turn your head."
I did... and froze in shock. Standing directly behind me was LaKeysha. She was grinning from ear to ear.
My face turned beet red and I started to stammer out an attempted apology. Before I could get through the first word, she silenced me with a gesture. "I heard everything you just said," she informed me. "Is that what you truly think?"
I couldn't speak, so I just nodded. I was tongue-tied that a goddess in human form was speaking to me.
LaKeysha smiled in a way that made me melt. "My shift ends at 3:30," she said. "Meet me at the front door if you'd like."
I looked at my watch: 3:08. With another nod, I agreed.
After lunch, Benny left. I waited 3 minutes at the front, and LaKeysha walked over. "Walk with me," she said. "We'll go to my apartment and talk."
I didn't say a word for the 3 blocks it took to get to her apartment. I was afraid to spoil my real-life dream that was coming true. Once upstairs, she sat me on the sofa, picking a chair for herself. "Just relax," she said. "I won't bite. Tell me about yourself."
Haltingly at first, but gradually with fewer stammers, I told her about my life, such as it was. She just kept smiling the whole time. After I wrapped up, she laughed out loud. "So you're too scared to talk to beautiful women?" she giggled. "Let me tell you something. You're a very nice person, and you just have to realize that we goddesses have just as many issues to deal with as you ordinary mortals."
Her laughter sounded beautiful, like silver bells. It finally broke down my barriers. "Really?" I said. "I guess I have a lot to learn."
"You are already," LaKeysha informed me. "You didn't stammer or stutter at all when you just said that."
I realized she was right. After a very pleasant conversation, we agreed to meet again at the end of her shift in a week.
The next Sunday, same time and place, I was much more relaxed. The same thing happened: meet, walk to her apartment, talk. For 6 very pleasant Sundays this kept up. I didn't know it then, but LaKeysha was about to raise the stakes.