In
an unguarded moment he shares with her his secret passion for
Computer Network Interface Cards, and how he wants to eventually
become the sole provider of Network Interface Cards on the West
Coast, including Silicon Valley in the South, and Microsoft in
Seattle, Washington, in the North. Well, this presents Harper with a
terrible dilemma. How does she let him down easy?
Fortunately
for us, this example is unlikely and contrived: Harper is hit with a
brainstorm. She is honest with Mr. Chess Club President, in the
following fashion. She tells him that he has been nicer to her than
any Chess Club President ever before, and she had a perfectly
wonderful time at McDonald's, but Network Interface Cards mean
absolutely nothing to her. She would rather watch baby Alligators
break out of their shell at the Zoo, and give immunization shots to
the Rocky Mountain Billy Goats. BUT she doesn't quit there. She
gives him her REAL telephone number, safe in supposing he probably
won't use it, and tells him it would be fun to get together now and
then, but not seriously. She kisses him goodnight, and is pleasantly
surprised to find that he doesn't smoke. End of Example.
In
real life, a Chess Club President would probably be her slave for
life at this point. 15 years from now, when she needs 50,000 NIC
cards for all the Zoos in Africa where she is working as head
Zoologist, he will move heaven and earth to have them there for her
at bottom dollar.
But
allowing for the pitiful dating life of the average Chess Club
President, Harper's problem is about to become very thorny indeed.
He DOES use the phone number. REPEATEDLY. Every time he can't get a
date, she is his under-valued fall back. Ethan doesn't know it isn't
serious, and she becomes “marked territory.” The Chess Club
President becomes a sort of “Dating nightmare” to Harper. This
is a terrible situation for Harper, but also not the desired result
for the Chess Club President. If he doesn't move on, he'll never
find out if Emma deeply yearns for a future Network Card King, and
time isn't waiting for either of them. To his great misfortune,
Cameron, who is the Captain of the Football Team, makes his move on
Emma while Ethan is otherwise occupied.
Up
to this point, let's just be sorry for Harper, and remember that she
has been a perfect friend to everybody so far.
