My name is Marcia Jeffers. I am single and 32 years old. I was married about ten years ago and though we were married for about five years, it ultimately did not work out. I think it was the common case of our being too young and naive. Anyway, I am the CEO of a small but rather up-scale motel chain in the Pacific Northwest. My father started the business over 40 years ago but has recently decided that he wants to spend more time relaxing; consequently he gave me the corporate reins. It isn't like I am a novice at the business. I graduated with a marketing degree from Cornell, and I have worked within the company for ten years. Anyhow, that gives you some idea of who I am.
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| Marcia Jeffers |
Over the last year or so I have decided to get back on the horse, romantically speaking. I think it is time for me to get serious about someone again. To that end I have been dating Mathew for the last few months. He is 36 years old, very articulate, and dare I say; very good-looking. He is an independent landscape architect. He was recently contracted by our firm to do some exterior updating of some of our facilities. His past work has been very impressive and he came highly recommended. I was taken with him immediately, in more ways than one.
I have found dating Mathew to be generally gratifying and mostly agreeable. He is extremely bright and discerning. I suppose it is true that he can at times he can come off as a bit rude and insensitive, but we all have our weaknesses. No one is perfect. Our relationship has been quickly moving along and I have felt that it is on the verge of becoming completely intimate. The only reason why it hasn't reached that stage yet is that I have been purposely moving slowly and cautiously. I have decided that I want my next romantic relationship to be a long-lasting one.
About three weeks ago there was a small electrical fire in my office. The damage was relatively modest and I decided to continue doing my work in the office during the two weeks needed to do the repairs. The repairman, Keith, seemed very friendly and polite. During the first few days he would occasionally interrupt me by warning me that he was going to have to run a power drill or some other piece of noisy equipment. Keith soon became rather self-consciously humorous in his apologies concerning the commotion and the clutter. It did not take long before I realized that I was actually enjoying his little interruptions.
Eventually Keith and I were taking little pauses in our workdays to chat. I discovered that he is 33, never married, likes firework displays, carnivals, and kites. Keith found out my age, marital status, that I like old movies, and that I collect antique vases. He quietly listened to me as I tried to explain why I enjoy collecting vases and urns. He seemed genuinely interested. Meanwhile, I sensed that I was becoming enthralled by his smile, his laugh, and simply by how he moves his hands when he speaks. I liked the sound of his voice; thoroughly masculine but yet not overpowering. But perhaps the thing that impressed me most was how insightful and philosophical he was.
The day Keith completed the repairs to my office, he came in and stood in front of my desk and asked me if I would like to go out sometime and get a glass of wine or a cup of coffee. It might seem crazy or even idiotic of me, but I was very surprised by his overture. Without hardly a thought I shook my head and awkwardly babbled, “Thank you, but no, I don’t think so.”
Keith smiled politely and calmly said, “Okay, I just thought I’d ask.” He then turned and went out the door.
It was then I realized that I had ignorantly, stupidly been thinking of Keith as just the repairman, a friendly, personable repairman, but just a repairman nevertheless. In my narrow-minded brain I had not envisioned him as a potential suitor. Still, I was sure I had acted wisely by declining Keith’s offer. After all, my relationship with Mathew was moving right along.
Two days passed and my mother called me at my office. She was in the area and she suggested we go out together for lunch. Just by chance, Mathew and I had planned a luncheon date. I figured that the three of us could go out together, after all, Mathew was yet to meet my mother and it was probably high time he did.
About ten minutes before noon I was watching out my second floor office window when I saw Mom pull her car into the parking lot. I watched her climb out of the vehicle and walk down the sidewalk towards the building. Then, suddenly, her foot stepped off the edge of the walkway, twisting her ankle, and sending her sprawling to the ground. I was about to run down to her when I saw Keith hurry to her. From the window I watched him as he carefully examined her ankle, all the while making little remarks that made Mom laugh. She seemed to be okay. I took a breath and relaxed.
Then just a few seconds later I noticed Mathew coming down the sidewalk, the same sidewalk where my mother was at that moment seated while Keith attended to her. Without so much as a glance, he walked right by Mom without a bit of concern. It was as though this injured older lady resting on the walking was invisible. Fortunately there was Keith, making sure she was not badly injured, and comforting her in the process with his wit.
Concerning the things that matter most in life, I can be so stupid. Perhaps, just perhaps it is time for some additional office repairs. And I know just the man I want doing them.
