I've been at my father's law firm a hundred times before, but always with my father. Not today.
Today I'm sitting in the office of a partner named Charlotte. I've brought Jack with me just to have a lawyer there who has nothing to gain to hold my hand through the process. He was surprised to hear from me many months after the last time we'd seen ( Read more... )

It's about half past seven on a Saturday in early November. I've been on since four, and I'm still not used to the fact that it's already starting to get dark by that time of the afternoon now that Daylight Saving Time is over. It makes me feel like it's later than it really is, so even though I'm a night owl, I keep checking my watch to see how ( Read more... )

"No, that's not what I'm saying, the date didn't go badly," Jack tries to clarify, after he takes another sip of Balvenie. " Heather and I had a fantastic time. We talked for hours, we had a wonderful meal and split a bottle of wine, we had dessert, and I walked her to her subway. And, there was a goodnight --" He stops for a second and looks up ( Read more... )

When I come in a little early for my 8-to-close the Wednesday right before the long holiday weekend, Jack is sitting at one of the tables along the wall instead of at the bar, and he's not alone. When he sees me, he waves me over. "Debra, I want you to meet Heather. She and I went to college together." She's very pretty, I notice as I shake her ( Read more... )

Thursday evening I'm working with Cindy, and we're doing a decently brisk business, but nothing unusual. At one point Cindy comes down to where I'm cutting limes ( Read more... )

For the last month or so, both Gary and I have been feeling a little burnt out. We've both been working hard, and neither of us has had a real vacation in a long time - a chance to get away, relax, and recharge without the pressures of work or the "realities" and responsibilities of home impeding. But because we've only been dating for a few ( Read more... )

"What's your novel about?" Jack asks me, the wind whipping around us on the 1:30am ferry to Staten IslandFor a while, the conversation has been casual and light-hearted. We've talked about the ferry and its history, which neither of us knows very much about, and the fact that we're going to regret not having a camera with us for the ride. Jack ( Read more... )

It's a chilly Monday evening, and I have the night off from the Bar. I'm expecting a call from Warren, who said he'd call today after his weekend with his kids about when we can get together again. So I plop myself down on the Comfy Couch with my laptop to IM with Nancy while I watch "Heroes" and "What About Brian." Nancy's mention of sushi sets ( Read more... )

Tuesday night I'm on with Jocelyn, and it's my first opportunity to see Diego work a solo barback shift. He's a whirlwind. He's got the sink filled with empty glasses before I even realize they need to be collected, and we don't run out of anything all night - and not for lack of drink orders ( Read more... )

Wednesday night I'm on the 8-to-close with Jocelyn, and Dara has come down to the Bar to talk to me. She's got a problem. Well, a dilemma, at least - I have a hard time looking at it as a problem ( Read more... )