For years the Indiana University football team did nothing but demonstrate incompetence. Indeed during a 2003 football game vs UConn someone was heard to say to his father ‘I don't want to say it been a while since the Hoosiers have been to the Rose Bowl but the last time they went the MVP was OJ Simpson.

Then this off season the Hoosiers hired Chris Cignetti, former head coach of James Madison. The Dukes had ‘graduated’ from FCS and through Cignetti’s leadership helped to solidify the Dukes as a perennial Top 25 team.

The Hoosiers started out winning their first game. We’ve seen that before, everyone said. Then they won another and another, and another. ‘Who do we have to incapacitate and by how much to get you to pay attention to us?’ Well, people are paying attention now, and the Hoosiers will be playing the biggest game in the program’s history against Ohio State on Fox Big Saturday this week. Don't miss it, its gonna be fun.

I work in a former foundry which has been converted into a four floor office. One morning I went up to the office and, before I got to my desk I realized I left my earbuds in my car.

So I charged down the stairs and opened the door at the bottom of the landing. And that’s when I saw her.

At first you’d think she was nerdy. Blonde curly hair, glasses. But…oh my God. She had a beautiful smile. She wore these gold hoop earrings and had on a small strand of pearls. She also had a small freckle on her right cheek that truly became her.

She wore a one piece sweater that doubled as a VERY short miniskirt. It was pink with little vertical ribs down them. She didn’t have large breasts, but they were fine and, besides, I prefer a slender figure.

Her hands were lovely too. She had oval fingernails, unpainted, just like I like. She wore a small bracelet and a bracelet with what looked like letters, most likely to spell her kid’s (or kids) name. She wore three rings: one on her left middle finger, one on her right ring finger and another one on her right middle finger. Nothing on the left ring finger.

But the highlight was clearly below her waist. Simply put, she had the hottest legs I have ever seen. I had a teacher, Diane, when I was in high school. She would always wear skirts that were over her knee, and closed toe sling back pumps. I like how they showed off the back of her feet, and how they were closed tor. And I loved how she crossed her legs, it was her way of saying ‘I know I have hot legs, I know boys - and men - love to look at them - and I want to indulge them.”

Her legs were better.

Her legs were tanned, toned. Her thighs were thin, toned. I remember watching a show and some guy’s girlfriend’s mother said to him ‘I didn’t get thighs like this crushing coconuts!’ Oh my God, that was so hot. Well, this woman had those kind of thighs. Not an inch of fat anywhere. They were flawless. And her knees, and how her legs had color. And how her calves were developed, muscular and yet feminine. And she didn’t wear stockings - nothing came between guys who stared at her and her legs.

But the capper - the absolute capper - were her pumps. She had leopard print high heel closed toe high heels. Not quite’ fuck me’ high heels - but they were a little higher than what some would consider ‘business professional.’

And again, he justaposition of her in glasses, maybe a little nerdy looking..:but with a body for sin…,and my God those legs…and was she wearing leopard print panties underneath…man, I wanted to find out.

Sometimes you need to make decisions in a split second. And so I did.

“Hi,” I said.

A little nervous, she said “Hi!” I tried not to look at her, look at her body, how she maybe radiated sex, maybe she knew she did , maybe not.

“How are you?” I asked.

“I’m fine,” she answered. Her hands were slender, delicate. They weren’t an old woman’s hands, but they belonged to someone in her 40s.

And I remember what someone said when a beautiful woman about my new friends age went into a video rental store that the boys were working at. ‘Mothers have unbelievable sex drives,’ he said. Almost certainly I was looking at a mother, and almost certainly she had a unbelievable sex drive.

“My name is Pete,” I said, extending my hand.

“Elaine,” she responded. And she extended her hand like she wanted me to kiss it. Again: a split second decision, and again I raised her soft hand to my mouth and kissed it. She giggled.

“I liked that,” she said, and gave me a nervous smile. I smiled broadly.

“You look lovely,” I told her.

And again she smiled nervously, and let out a nervous little laugh. She ‘inspected’ my blue polo shirt. “And so do you!” she said, naturally. Meanwhile I am raging hard for this woman - as hard as I have been - the only time I remember being this hard was when I was 14 when I saw my mother in a bikini. Talk about a formative experience!

There were a couple of coworkers of hers that came in. One I recognized from seeing him a few times. “Hi Elaine!” he said as he entered the stairwell.

“Hello Brian!” Elaine answered as he walked up the stairs.

“I know Brian,” I said. “Nice guys. We’ve talked about the Red Sox a couple of times.”

Now Elaine gave me a natural, relaxed smile. And she had perfect teeth too. “What are you doing for lunch?” she asked me.

“Wide open,” I told her. “Want to connect? 12:30?”

And she smiled. “I would like that,” she told me. “Will you meet me in the lobby here then?”

“Of course,” I told her. “There’s a sandwich shop close by, we can get subs there and then eat at one of the outdoor tables they have there.”

Elaine liked that. “That sounds nice,” she told me. “This is Rafaele’s, yes?” she asked. “You know, I haven’t been there!”

I looked on her green eyes. Her glasses had thin red frames, and the corner of her eyes wrinkled up when she smiled. “Well, my lady, you’re in for a treat!” And she giggled at this.

“Well, Pete, I need to get to work,” she told me, extending her hand. “I’ll see you at 12:30?”

“And you will,” I told her. And in another split second moment, I kissed her on the cheek. And I could see her blush, and smile broadly….and really turned red.

“It was nice meeting you Pete,” she told me. “See you at 12:30!”

And not least of all she had a great ass. Tight, it shook seductively when she walked, as did her calves, it was like she was doing calf exercises, the toned muscles on her shapely legs tensing up with every step up the stairs,

A flawless woman. A woman without flaws.

And I thought..:

Maybe she can be mine.

Your pretty face is perfect for your imperfections.

I love your smile lines and how they make the corners of your eyes wrinkle up. You say it makes you look like a Sharpei, I say it makes you beautiful

I love your nose - you think it’s too big, I think it’s you.

I love your beautiful, perfect smile.

I love your soft freckles - when I look at you up close I can see them.

Most of all, I love how your face lights up when you see me. And I love knowing that I can bring that out in your.

I had seen her every day at Dunkin’ when I would get my coffee. She radiated beauty, a joyous spirit. She was about 5’3”, blonde hair, dressed young. She’d say hi to these guys who I knew were dads, spoken for.

And I didn’t think I was good enough.

So I went to my therapist. “There’s a girl at Dunkin I like” I began. I wouldn’t say she was hot as much as she was beautiful. She had a nice smile, she seemed very nice. And I said I wanted to say hi to her, get to know her, and - dare to dream - make her my girlfriend. Being 41, and divorced in a past life, things just didn’t work for me. They just never did. I mean, I’m over my divorce, and we’re friends. But she’s married, and has kids, and I want that for myself. But it hasn’t happened.

My therapist’s message to me wasn’t you can do this, you can win her love, it was don’t let this consume you. Don’t obsess, don’t put her on a pedestal. Once you get to know her, she stops being a goddess, and she starts being a person. Did she want it to work out for me? Sure. But that also meant that whatever happened, I’d be fine in the end.

The next day I got in line and I got my stuff. And she came in. And she had on a black and white striped sweater, black pants and sandals. She painted her toenails a soft shade of pink and didn’t paint her fingernails. And she didn’t have a ring on. The clincher? The sweater was cropped, giving just a tease of her tanned, bare midriff. So I got back in line because I forgot something. Or at least that’s what I was going to say.

“Good morning!” I said.

She turned around. “Good morning!” she said. And I smiled, because she gave me a smile.

“How are you?” I asked.

“I’m fine,” she said.

“My name is Glenn,” I said, extending my hand. “Two N’s”

“I’m Melissa,” she said, extending her hand. “Hi!” No ‘Glenn with two N’s, huh?’ Just a hello.

“Nice to meet you!” I said. And, even so, I was excited: if nothing else, she was talking to me!

Then to make conversation I said “My birthday was three days ago!”

“Really?” Melissa asked. “How old?” I noticed just how pretty she was, almost flawlessly so, and her blue eyes and her smiled, her body, her wardrobe.

“Forty one,” I answered.

“Same here!” she said. “Getting old!”

“No way,” I said. “You? Forty one! I don’t believe jt!”

This was when they took Melissa’s order. Iced coffee, skim milk, two espresso flavor shots. And I ordered a blueberry muffin, toasted.

Almost as fast as she got her stuff, she headed out. “Have a good day!” she said, as she left the store.

“And you!” I said.

While it was nice I finally broke through, it just seemed like I feared: nothing was there. This is always the way it is with me. Either I like them or they like me. And never the twain shall meet.

For a couple of months I would see her in the shop. And we’d talk. Not much more than how are you, what do you have going on, that sort of thing. I didn’t try to force things, we’d say things, she knew me, I knew her. I even saw her at a high school football game, where her daughter was a cheerleader. She was sitting by herself, occasionally talking to the other moms. I wanted to talk to her - badly - but didn’t want to push it. I did, however, talk about it the next time we met - her daughter was head cheerleader and she was going to Boston College on a cheerleading scholarship. “I didn’t know they existed!” I said. And she said “Neither did I! But they do!”

Toward the end of the year I got a promotion I had been chasing: a job at the home office in Raleigh. It was big, I’d be Director of Strategic Initiatives for the entire company. And the move was easy: I didn’t own any property, I was unattached, my brother lived in Cleveland, and my parents, while we were not estranged, not distant, I just wasn’t close to them. And the friends I have here, there was no one I couldn’t keep in touch with FaceTime, text, like that. Which I pretty much now, anyway.

The move would be after the first of the year. So just before Christmas I bought a $20 gift card as I ordered my stuff. And Melissa came in: she wore leather jacket, jeans, fashion boots - and she looked beautiful. Like the song, a goddess of beauty and love (and Melissa was her name). Compare her classy outfit to me in a Boston Red Sox varsity jacket, jeans, and black high top adidas. But at least the Sox jacket was in like new condition and looked good. So there was that.

We left the store. Before she headed to her car I called her out. “Melissa,” I said.

“Hi!” she said. She never called me by my name. But she did say “Red Sox, huh?”

“Yeah, big fan,”. I said. “Anyway. This is for you,” I said, handing her the greeting card in a little orange and magenta envelope. To Melissa. from Glenn. Value, $20 USD. Gotta put USD there, it’s kind of my thing.

She smiled at this. “Thank you!” and got ready to head off.

Last chance Glenn, I thought. Speak your peace.

“Melissa,” I began.

She turned around and smiled. “Yes?” she asked.

I swallowed hard.

“I’m heading to North Carolina for work,” I started.

“Well congratulations!” she said. “Good for you!”

“Thanks,”. I said. “And Melissa…”

She looked at me as if she was waiting for me to say something.

And here we go….

“Melissa…I just want you to know I think you’re a very beautiful woman. One of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. I love your eyes, I love your smile, I like the way you dress, your voice….” I could see her smile, just a little bit and I went on.

“I know..it doesn’t look like we’re meant to be together…and I don’t know if you have a boyfriend, or a husband….but I, a lot of times, wish I could have been that for you. Sometimes, I’ll be out, or over my folks house, or at work, and I’ll think of you. Sweet Melissa….like the song. And I’d wish you were there with me, you know? ‘’Mom, Dad, this is Melissa, my girlfriend. Josh - that’s my brother, Josh, - this is my girlfriend Melissa - and that’s her daughter….sorry, I don’t know your daughters name…”

She looked at me, not in a hurry to go, not feeling the passion I felt, but still wanted to be nice, hear me out. “Her name is Allison,” she told me.

“Allison,” I echoed.

“You know, Melissa, I know that you don’t feel the same, but to me these ten minutes every morning - 7am, more or less - it’s the best part of my day, and the worst part of my day. Because I get to see you. I get to dream that you like me exactly the way I want you to like me. And when you give me a smile, or say hello, it makes my day.”

“I don’t know you, I know that. But what little I know about you, you’re everything I could posssibly wish for, hope for. You’re beautiful, yes. But you’re kind. I can tell. You’re living. I can tell. I don’t know about Allison’s dad, and if he’s in your life, but I have to think he felt the same way.

“Anyway, Melissa, know that I wished for you since I first saw you. Know that I hoped that we would be friends. That you’d give me your number and call me. That every afternoon we’d call each other at 2, or 3 or whenever and share how our day was going. To tell each other we were thinking of each other.

“And that you tell your friends about this guy you met at Dunkin. And then when I met them ‘Oh Melissa, is THIS the young man you can’t start talking about?” And you’d say yes, this is my boyfriend Glenn.” “Oh, he such a cutie!” And Melissa gave one of her big smiles, no doubt in spite of herself.

“Melissa - know that more than money - more than professional success - seeing the Lions FINALLY win a Super Bowl…” and she laughs at this. “More than any of that - I wish that I was all that to you. That you felt the way about me the same way I feel about you. It would make me happy.”

And then I say it.

“I love you Melissa. I do. I really do.” Then I reached over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. And I headed to my car. “Use that card to take Allie or your friends for coffee one morning. And I hope you’ll think of me when you do.

“I wont keep you any more. Thanks for hearing me out. I’ll see you Melissa. Someday. Merry Christmas.”

And then finally. “Merry Christmas, Glenn!” And she gave me the slightest smile as I started my car, and drove off…and she watched me drive off.

I felt sad. My heart was broken. But I did say what was in my heart. And I thought that, in the same way Vin Scully narrating the bottom for the 9th of Sandy Koufax’s perfect game was erudite baseball literature that he said totally off the cuff, my soliloquy was poetry - raw, longing, passionate, pure, and totally from the heart.

I really wanted - wished for - Melissa to be my girlfriend. And I still do. Still, as I headed to my office, I just thought one thing…

Remember how this feels. Remember how you feel now. The longing. The wishing.

Remember how powerful your feelings were - are - for Melissa. How you are overcome by them.

Maybe this didn’t work out as you had hoped. But know that there is a Melissa out there for you.

And she’ll be better than this Melissa.

She will be.

And she’s out there. Somewhere.

And you’ll find each other.

Soon.

And don’t stop until you do.

We’re on to Raleigh. And a Merry Christmas to one and all.

I don’t know if I have ever been as consumed by lust as I was that Sunday afternoon. It was a hot, humid day, overcast, about 80

She had the most beautiful face, the biggest smile, a voice for phone sex, a large nose, and a lovely laugh. Her skin was pale, her arms thin, her hips wide, child bearing thighs. She wore this white crocheted halter top, tied around her neck and back like a bikini top. She had these long white pants that she wore high over her belly button, showing about three inches of her midriff. And she wore these slip on white sandals, showing off her beautiful, flawless, unpainted toenails; her fingernails were also plain, also flawless.

As soon as I saw her - as soon as I greeted her - she made me as hard as I’d ever been. Her flawless smile, her taking my hands, her soft touch, everything about her - I’ve seen bikini models, Hawaiian Tropic models, beautiful women I’ve worked with, went to school with - but never - never - have I seen a woman as beautiful, as sensual, as desirable - someone who knew how to maximize her beauty, to compete with other women, who knew just how to make men hard, make them come - and yet at the same time be oblivious to it all.

How badly I want her.

I think I just met the happiest person in the world!

I was at a golf tournament in Cromwell, CT, the Travelers Championship. I was in line getting some of the overpriced food which was OK, not great. It was hot - about 85 degrees, and humid.

Behind me there was a very attractive woman of about 40, who had a sun hat, a pale blue shirt, white cotton pants, and sandals. One thing I noticed right away was that her toenails were flawless - unpainted, clean. Something you just don’t see. She was with a good looking guy about the same age, who was wearing tan shorts and a Philadelphia Flyers polo shirt. Both appeared to be my height, about 5’7” or so.

So to kill the time I started talking. ‘Hello!’ I said. ‘Enjoying the tournament so far?’

The lady was very friendly and vivacious. “Yes!,’ she replied. ‘It’s hot, but I live in the townhouses close by, so every year I get to go here free. And you?”

“I worked the tournament this year,” I told her. “They’d have us by the various gates and we had this phone, and people would scan their badges or whatever. Only problem was they never worked!” The lady and her friend laughed at this!

“So what did you do?” the young man asked me.

“Eh,” I said, “we’d try it and if we couldn’t get it to work we’d say ‘You’re good,’ and that would be that.

“By the way my name is Pete Gardenhire. And you…?”

The young lady was all smiles. “I’m Amanda Bowen, and this is my fiancée - and my boyfriend - Justin Marsh!” There were all smiles and handshakes, and I gave Amanda a kiss on the cheek.

And I noticed she was glowing!

“So, Amanda,” I began, “you say Justin is your fiancée AND your boyfriend?”

Amanda snuggled next to Justin. “He is! And I’m HIS fiancée AND his girlfriend!” And they shared a kiss right there, and smiles.

“I’ve never heard of that before, but that’s nice,” I said. “What….how did you come up with that?”

Right away Justin. “Before I met Amanda, I had been divorced for close to five years. Amanda had been longer than that. My relationship with my ex was not good….” and then he whispered over to Amanda ‘Want me to tell him?’ To which Amanda said ‘And I haven’t even SEEN my ex for over a decade!”

“So…how did you get here?” I asked as I took a soggy cheeseburger and fries from underneath a heat lamp.

Amanda giggled at this and turned to Justin and took his hand. “Well…my girlfriend Judith said that she had a guy she wanted to introduce to me one afternoon after work.” Amanda took a tray of chicken fingers and fries as did Justin as they walked to a cooler with sodas. “I told Judith that I had just about enough of guys who were only after one thing, didn’t care about my kids…or me, for that matter.”

Then Justin who again looked at Amanda sweetly. “I had dates after I got divorced but none of them worked out. So Judith’s husband Dave, who was my boss where I worked, said ‘Hey Justin, Judith has a friend she thinks you’ll like!” Pete, I was a basket case for the next two weeks!” Amanda laughs and brushes Justin’s arm as Pete pays for his food using his phone.

“I’d seen Judith and Dave talking to someone when I went into the bar,” Justin continued. “I went into the bathroom to wash my face and gef ready to meet my date. And I come out….and again I was beautiful Amanda!” He also paid for his and Amanda’s food with a phone and looked for a place to sit. There was a picnic table under a roof with a couple of guys in their 20’s. Amanda asked if they could sit for a while and the guys said why not.

“So what happened?” I asked.

Then Amanda took it. “Where is he?” she asked. “He’ll be here any second.’ And I saw two guys walking toward us and Judith said “The one in the black shirt? That’s your date!” Amanda exhaled, as if it had just happened. “And I was so happy! He was so much better than I could have hoped for…and I gave him a hug, and he kissed my hand, and he called me ‘dirty girl’ because I ordered a dirty martini,” and she playfully slapped Justin on the arm. “Dirty girl…I’m still going to get you for that!”

Then Justin added “I had never seen someone as beautiful as Amanda….but the thing was that I didn’t have a doubt it would work out.” And Pete went on as he took a pull from his Coke Zero. “Since I had been divorced I always put a lot of pressure on myself - and, I suppose, my dates - for it to work out.” And again with Amanda I didn’t.”

This was when Amanda and Justin, with smiles, faced each other…and Amanda cradled Justin’s head and kissed each other on the mouth. I could hear some sniffles from Amanda, but when she turned to me, there were tears running down her face!

With her voice breaking Amanda told me more. “Justin…we became boyfriend and girlfriend immediately. And he made me comfortable. I get home and my daughter - who has a temper - is yelling at me and my son - who is very isolated - is on his phone. This scared off most guys.” And again she turned to Justin. “But he embraced it. He wanted to be there. And I would tell him when I felt despondent to just go, he deserved someone better than me - he didn’t. He stayed. And he broke through to my daughter Ada - where no one else had. Therapists, teachers - and the guys I saw couldn’t be bothered - but Justin did.” And again Amanda’s voice cracked.

“And Amanda was like that with me too!” Justin answered. And I noticed that Amanda and Justin had a rhythm - Amanda would give her thoughts, and Justin his. And I saw both had a glow, both had relaxed, happy smiles. “I mean, she knew about my divorce, and how I got there - and it turned out her sister knew my ex! - and I thought that would be the end of us.” And Amanda brushed Justin’s hair backs and said ‘Oh no, Justin, oh no…”. Then Justin. “But then Amanda took my hand and said she didn’t know” and Justin exhaled “and Amanda said I don’t care what they say, I love you. And nothing will ever change that.” And Justin exhaled and Amanda gave him a hug.

What a happy couple I thought. Such nice people.

“So…I see you’re engaged. How long have you been?” I ask.

Then Justin and Amanda played cute. They looked at each other. ‘Should we tell him?’ Amanda asked Justin. And Justin said ‘Of course!’ And then together ‘We got engaged six days after we met!”

Six days! My God, that’s unheard of!

“Wow!” I say. “I’m happy for you but….six days?”

And Amanda says “When you know you know Pete. And I knew.” And Amanda turned to Justin.

Then Justin picked up. “Amanda and I were going up to Boston to see Jason Aldean with her kids and my son. And she calls The Highway on SiriusXM. And Amanda says ‘Hi! I’m Amanda from New Jersey! And I’m here with our kids Ada and Alex and Kyle…and my boyfriend Justin!” And then Amanda, again with her voice cracking said “I said I want everyone in North America to know that I love Justin so much…I almost didn’t make it through the call I thought I was going to cry!” And she turned away and couldn’t hold back a little sob. “And I think about it…and…you know?”

And I smile at this. “I think I do!”

So then Justin adds “My friend Sid called and then Judith called, and Judith’s voice is breaking, and I told Judith her introducing me to Amanda was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.” Then Justin exhaled. “And….and…I asked Amanda…if it was alright with our kids…”. And Justin swallowed hard and looked up as Amanda took his hand. Then with his voice breaking he said “…will you marry me?”

And Amanda sniffed and I could see her rubbing her eyes. “And I said yes and I was so happy! And my kids were happy! And Justin is so sweet and he’s such a good daddy and he’s my best friend and he’s the best man I’ve ever known….” And she shows Justin and I her phone.

First the wallpaper. Amanda and Justin on a beach, Justin holding Amanda from behind, Amanda wearing a leopard bikini.” “My Justin loves when I wear my little leopard bikini….” and then turning wicked “…because he always kisses my belly button when I wear my leopard bikini. And that’s what makes leopard bikinis so much fun!”

I knew about leopard bikinis, my wife Mary Ann wears bikinis, and I love to kiss her belly button when she does too! Then with smiles Justin and Amanda show us more pictures…out to dinner, at the driving range, at a hotel with two other couples. “Hampton Inn!” Justin says. To which we both say “WAFFLES!” Just like Gus Johnson said it! And Amanda laughs and brushes Justin’s arm. “That’s my Justin!”

Then after a few moments Amanda tells me “Anyway Pete…Justin is my boyfriend and my fiance and I’m his girlfriend and his fiance. Boyfriend and girlfriend…it’s carefree. It’s sweet. It goes to a happy relationship….its like when you have your first love, your first girlfriend.” And again Amanda’s voice breaks. “I’m going to be 44 next month…and before Justin I never had a true happy relationship. In my heart of hearts my heart never skipped a beat.0. And she exhaled. “But Justin…he was it! He was my boyfriend…and he always will be…well he married, maybe we’ll have kids together, but always and forever..” and Amanda starts sobbing on Justin’s shoulders.

And Justin says “Same here. Amanda is hot, sure. She’s sexy, of course! But she’s so kind. So loving…she loves her kids - her and her son Alex are really close - and for me I….Amandas been a game changer. I love walking up with her. Every day at 2pm she calls me or I call her and we talk. And when we’re home we don’t worry about work or anything. It’s the kids…and it’s us.” And again, Amanda and Justin share a kiss, even deeper this time.

I look at the two lovebirds. They’re smitten, but this is real. Like I’ve never seen.

I look at my watch. I need to pick up my daughter from her friends house in Guilford. “Well, Justin, Amanda, I really enjoyed this. Maybe someday the three of us and Mary Ann can go out too! You’ll like her…she’s funny, and she’s friendly…and she’s hot too!”

“Couldn’t be as hot as my Amanda!” Justin says. And Amanda just sighs. “Awww….” and she takes his hand.

With that there were exchanges of phone numbers, social media handles, more handshakes and off I went. And I could see Amanda and Justin, hand in hand, happy with their lives, happy with each other, glowing, in love.

That, I thought, is what true love is. Heaven on earth.

I’m approaching the door. I’m trying to calm my nerves. How pretty she will be. Will she like me? Will she be dressed how I like?
I see Dave and Judith with an attractive brunette. Perfect, I think. Non-threatening, dressed in a white blouse, fairly long dark hair with a couple of gray hairs, friendly face, black slacks, black flats. The kind of woman where if it works out, great, and if not, it’s not the end of world. Plus nice women friends are always good to have. With that I go to the washroom, relieve myself, adjust my Probst necklace, wash my hands one more time, take one of the Life Savers from a dish in there and get ready to head out. Two, three minutes at most. But before I do, I see Dave in the mirror. “Hey Justin,” Dave says to me.
“Yeah Dave,” I say flatly. “Was going to say your friend is waiting. She’s really excited!” Excited for me? Oh, come on.
But…..whatever. We walk out.
And I see her.
Oh. My. God.
It’s not the woman that was there. The woman there now is amazingly beautiful. She’s got a big smile. Her blonde hair is in a braid over her left shoulder. She is wearing a blue T-shirt - A unique shade, darker than UCLA blue but lighter than Royal blue. She also has cotton white pants that are see through and what I think are pink panties underneath but I don’t know.
Her hands are clean, unpainted nails, with no polish, no rings….and it’s clear she doesn’t wear rings…and she has on sandals, that show off perfect toenails, unpainted. Which you never see.
And she’s laughing! A goofy, loud - and genuine laugh! She throws her hair back and brushes Judith just a bit. What is so funny? And is she nervous about meeting me too? I go over to her. Before I can react she takes my hands and greets me with the biggest smile and gives me a hug. A real one!! Already! “Well hello Justin!” Judith says to me. “I see you’ve met my friend Amanda Bowen! Amanda, this is Justin Marsh!