"..."

* * *

"Err, have we met before?"
"Didn't you get the men's memo that that line has dropped off the face of the earth?", she laughed at him.
"I'm sorry", he smiled. 'Answering a question with a question, she's Nigerian...' "it's just that I eat lunch here everyday. I don't think I've seen you before"

"Hmmm...", she sighed impatiently, starring through him as if sending a message.

"I'm bothering you? I don't mean to encroach on your space...", he started to walk away but something told her he'd be back. She just wasn't sure when.

"So, you work in the area?" he turned back to her and continued, "you eat lunch here everyday?" He looked nervous but she wasn't moved.

"Today will be my last day", she said as she looked into her purse.
"Why? Is the food terrible? Don't pay them any mind if the servers are rude. They have to..."
She shot him a very stern look, "because until now, I always enjoyed my lunch - in peace!"
"I'm sorry". He went on to place his order.



He normally placed 'to go' orders. But today he took the table behind her. She had her back turned to him; she didn't know he was still there. He watched her pull out a small bowl from her lunch bag. It looked like pasta. 'She cooks, star; she saves money, star. She pulled out a book from her purse and read as she ate. 'Bad habit, but she's educated, star.There was something about her demeanor. She commanded a presence but she wasn't intimidating. Her phone rang - 'E ba mi wa Fati mi o (Fatima by Olu maintain)'star! star! She's in touch with her heritage. He wasn't eavesdropping but he heard bits and pieces - "Baby, don't say that, come on... Yeah, OK, fine! I'm sorry... Anniversary... Love you". 'Minus 4 stars! Damn it!' Just as he got up to leave, it happened. She put down her fork and picked up a stewed drumstick and ate it 'without minding anyone'. Star! Star! Star! Star! Star! Star! Star! Star! Ade himself never understood why that was pleasing to him but he was ecstatic. There was something human about her that he was suddenly drawn to.
"Shoot! I have 6 minutes to get back to work", he mumbled.
The following week and a half, he ate at every restaurant in the area hoping one of them would be her new lunch place.

* * *

It had been a month now and he had already given up. He was checking out new prospects. Walking back from lunch one day, he spotted a new phone that his service provider had just launched.
"Nice! I need to check that out".
"Welcome to Sprint. Someone will be with you in a moment". The lady looked up at him for a split second. It was her! He let people get ahead of him till she was free.

Gina couldn't understand why the man in front of her was so giddy. 'It's a phone store, not a 'candy' shop'.
"How are you doing Sir?"
"Yeah, I'm good... great actually..."
She waited for him to continue, but he just stood there smiling.
"So, are you a Spring customer? Was there a problem with your service? Would you like to see some of our phones? Do you..."
"Yeah, the phone in the window, can you... So you don't remember me?", he just had to ask.
"Should I?"
"About a month ago? Bagel House? You teased my 'pick-up' line?"
She looked at her monitor and shook her head, "I'm sorry".
"OK I'll just look at that phone in the window".

He came in at about 3pm for each of the following 3 days to look at 'that phone in the window'. She couldn't take it anymore.
"What exactly do you want?"
"What do you mean? I simply want to see that phone..."
"You've seen it already... three times!"
Even her colleagues were starting to tease her about it. He never let anyone else attend to him.
"Well, I'm comparing it to ..."
'Aargh!' She couldn't take it anymore, "do you want to go to dinner tomorrow night?", she blurted out.
"Are you asking me on..."
"I get off work at 7.30. I drive a red RAV4. Just drive up. I'll lead the way. Have a good day Sir. Next please!

TO BE CONTINUED...