Eric found the card in his mailbox after returning home from the grocery store:
APHRODITE MATCH MAKING FOR MEN
PERFECT RELATIONSHIPS, 100% GUARANTEED
That was all it said, there was no fax number, no email, not even a street address. Most men would have taken one look at the card, and thrown it in the trash thinking it was part of some cheap scam, but Eric was feeling curious that day. He found a telephone number on the back, he dialed it, expecting to talk to a machine, but was surprised to hear the voice of a man who sounded to be in his late forties, and referred himself as Dr. Ray. Eric asked Dr. Ray a few questions:
"Why don't you have a website or email address listed on your card?"
"My business serves a very select clientele," The Dr. answered, "and I don't want attention from men whom I know won't be seriously interested in the unique services I have to offer."
"What do you mean unique services?"
"I was waiting for you to ask me that. It's very hard to explain exactly what I do over the phone, but I'll just say that I employ the most modern techniques available to help young men such as yourself with your romantic goals. If you want to know more you'll have to come to my office in person."
"Um ... okay, when do you have an opening?"
"I'm available whenever you want to meet."
"How about tomorrow at noon?"
"That's perfect, get a pen so you can write down my address."
Dr. Ray's office was on the third floor of a very ordinary looking office complex. Eric arrived for the appointment a half-hour early, just so he could look around the office to see if there was anything unusual. But when he opened the door, he discovered that there wasn't much of anything to look around for. There was no receptionist, no coffee table with old magazines on it, and nothing hanging on the walls, which were painted a very calming light-blue, that Eric thought was very atypical for a Dr.'s office. There was nothing but a soft leather couch, the door Eric walked in from the hallway, and one to the adjoining office. He just sat down and waited.
Eric never thought he would need to use a matchmaker (if that's what Dr. Ray really was). Eric certainly thought of himself as being an attractive young man, with soft, wavy blonde hair, fair skin which never blemished, not even when he was a teenager; and a build that was slight, but still strong and athletic. He was also lucky enough to have made a hefty fortune right out of college, making wise investments in a few promising tech start-ups. Given all that, one would make the assumption that Eric would have no trouble attracting a mate. But Eric had never been the most socially graceful person, especially around women. He wanted desperately to find the right partner, but didn't want to have to slog through the muck of the dating world, so when someone came along offering him a 100% chance of finding his perfect match, he was willing to risk ...
"Eric?" A voice from the opposite side of the room interrupted his train of thought. "Hello I'm Dr. Ray." He crossed the length of the waiting room to shake Eric's hand. Dr. Ray was ruggedly handsome, with a strong jaw covered in coarse, gray whiskers. He was just slightly taller than Eric, and had a thick barrel chest. "Come into my office so we can talk." The office was just as austere as the waiting room, its only furniture was a desk and two chairs. "Did you have trouble finding the place?" He asked Eric as they both sat down.
"Not at all." Eric answered.
"Good, good. I'm going to ask you a few questions, is that okay?" The Dr. asked, pulling a folder and a pen from his top desk drawer.
"Sure, I guess." Eric answered.
"Alright. With how many women have you had long-term relationships in your life?"
"What do you mean by long-term?"
"Any lasting one year or longer."
"Um ... I guess ... three."
"Did you tell all of them that you loved them at some point?"
"No, just one."
