It's been a slow day so far, and so I don't feel the least qualm about taking my evening run a little earlier than normal and then knocking off for the day. Life in the office is turgid on Friday afternoons anyway, with a large number of my peers heading off for an illicit three-day weekend at this beach condo or that mountain cabin. All in all it means that Fridays after noon I find myself more or less alone, with only a few of the interns and my own sense of obligation to amuse myself with.
My run is not to standard at all. The roads, although nearly deserted as they are wont to be on a late summer Friday, conspire with the streetlights to interrupt any pace I might try to get going from one block to another. Its frustrating on a surface level, but the realization after just a mile that I will not be making any records allows me to throttle back and just relax, letting the miles take care of themselves and being satisfied that at least today I did not allow my sense of urgency outweigh my sense of self. It's a slow run, cool in a very non-D.C. way, and I find myself back in front of the office before I know it. A few minutes cooling on the steps outside and I head in to the realm of unreality again.
Just as I get to my office the phone rings. It is the receptionist downstairs. "Sir," she tells me, "there's a lady here to see you."
Only one woman might be downstairs tonight, I only know one woman. But the fact that she's announced as "a woman" speaks volumes.
"Send her on up," I tell our matronly receptionist.
A few minutes later, with sweat still rolling from my brow I answer the door.
"Hello Deb. Fancy meeting you here."
Of course it sort of had to be you, didn't it? After the initial shock wore off I didn't even really need to ask the receptionist what the "lady" looked like to confirm my suspicion. I am well known in some circles, but not well enough yet to have visitors seeking me out. Seeing you outside my door, black dress, silken hair and all was not really a surprise anymore. I was four minutes into our conversation before you took my mental train off the track.
"So," you say, with a teasing voice that, when you use it I find so disconcerting, "when will you be showing me what I've come to see?"
"What is that?" I respond, not actually knowing if you'll say what I suspect (and hope) but curious to see how far your 'direct and frank' act goes.
"Your dick, silly boy," you respond, trumping my assumptions (that "Deb" would never dare to say that word out loud) and at the same time making it a confirmed necessity that I change out of my running shorts and into my clothes before someone remarks upon my obvious physical reaction to your mere presence.
"Dinner first?" I ask, buying time and mentally backpedaling. "Surely you don't expect me to give you the goods without so much as caging a meal from your extensive accounts, do you?"
You laugh politely and then turn in a combination of moderate surprise and mild indignation as I usher you from my office and bid you wait outside as I go down to men's room to change. It's a sponge bath, but fast. Still, I rather enjoyed the look on your face as you cool your heels outside my office door. High maintenance indeed.