Calgary, December 2023
Martin wasn’t an outgoing person. As a child, he didn't have many friends and didn’t participate in the usual activities of boys of his age, like playing football or chasing balls with hockey sticks. He preferred to play with mechanical toys, and his favorite was the radio-controlled car he got for his sixth birthday. He could play with it for hours.
At school, Martin was a good student but being a loner didn’t make him popular with his fellow students. They called him the Nerd. Then came the high school and with that the hormones which invaded the boys’ bodies. Girls were still stupid, of course, but Martin couldn’t stop imagining embracing and kissing them. Then the dream slowly changed from embracing any one of them into embracing just one specific, Judy. But that was an impossible dream, because Judy was the beauty of the class, and all the boys were dreaming about her. Martin had no chance. The clear winner was certain David, a tall, handsome, athletic boy whose physical attributes were indisputable. Judy and Dave became a star couple of the class.
Then came the last year of high school, the final exams, the graduation party, and the students scattered into the four corners of the world. Martin was accepted at the university, studied engineering, and after graduating found a job with an engineering firm. The company specialized in automating industrial processes, and the department where Martin worked developed a product which became so successful that the local newspapers wanted to write a report about it. They contacted the company's PR department, made some arrangements, and as a consequence, Martin got a visit from his boss.
“Hello Martin, do you want to become famous?” he asked.
“Depends in what way. Not like Jack the Ripper.”
"No, not like that. The local newspaper wants to write a report about our product, and I thought you would be the right person to talk to them. You are young and articulate, and it would look good for our company. You know, giving opportunity to young talented engineers.”
Martin didn’t see any reason why he should refuse to become famous, so the PR department arranged the interview. The secretary brought the reporter into Martin's office and as soon as he saw her, he shouted: "Judy!" while she at the same time shouted "Martin!" She ran to him, hugged him, and Martin remembered his impossible high school dreams.
“What a surprise. It must be eight years since I saw you,” he said.
“Yes, eight years, and I see you didn’t waste them. You are now a newsworthy person.”
“And you are the one making the news. I am so glad to see you again.”
“Me too. Let's do the interview first, and then we can talk about the last eight years.”
Julia turned on the recorder, asked the usual question, Martin explained the benefits of the product, and then she turned the recorder off.
“Now we can talk. Tell me all about yourself.”
“I am doing OK. As you see, I have a good job which I like. Brings me money, too. And how about you? Are you still with Dave?”
“Yes, sort of”
“Sort of? That doesn’t sound very enthusiastic. Any problems?”
"Well, Dave is still handsome and athletic but he is lazy. He never lasts in any job for more than a few months. I am starting to be fed up with him.”
"You can always find a replacement."
“Perhaps. And how are you doing? Any woman in your life?”
“You know, I was never good with women, and that didn’t change. I had few flings but nothing which would last.”
“I am sorry to hear that,” said Judy but she didn’t look sorry at all, and Martin realized that his impossible high school dreams might not be so impossible after all. It only needed the right strategy.
"Well, how about I invite you and Dave for dinner in a nice restaurant. For the sake of the old times. Would you like it?"
“I would like it very much.”
“OK. Send me an e-mail, and we will arrange the date," and Martine gave her his business card.
When Judy came home, Dave was waiting for her. Being unemployed, he didn’t have much to do. “You wouldn’t believe whom I interviewed today. Do you remember Martin from the high school?” Judy asked.
“That nerd?”
“Yes, but that nerd seems to be doing very well. He invited us for dinner.”
It was bad news for Dave. Any comparison between him and Martin wouldn't be in his favour.
“I don’t want to go.”
“Then I will go by myself.”
That would be even worse. Martin would have Judy for the whole evening, and who knows where this would lead to.
“OK, I will go.”
They arranged the date and met in an expensive restaurant to which Judy and Dave could never afford to go.
“It is great to see you both again, after so many years,” greeted them Martin. The dinner was pleasant, and during the whole time Martin was very nice and polite, especially to Dave. He made sure that there wasn’t a slightest hint of his superiority. Then the dinner was over, Judy sent Dave to look for a taxi, and Martin asked her: “Would you like to have another dinner with me, this time without Dave?”
“Yes, I would,” and Judy gave him a nice, promising smile.