Things were going well at the wine bar. I was earning good tips, and Chloe, the food and beverage manager, was taking my input and allowing me to be a part of the wine I served and the offerings we added to the list. Additionally, we started having a featured Martini and added about twenty in total to the list.

One evening, I had a client that had been coming in from time to time; always traveling on business. Her name was Abigail. Abigail was a traveling pharmaceutical representative and Vice President for Pfizer. She covered most of Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire. She almost always ordered our reds, but she had been ordering the wines that I had been featuring.

On this particular evening, she started with a Loire Valley Riesling. Since she was not familiar with this particular region of France, and she had many questions to ask. While she wore a sweater made from El Paca wool that evening with a cowl neck, I could sense her eagerness to chat with me. The small-talk drifted away from the wine and focused more on me.

I had figured when telling her that I was in Vermont to find myself that may have a negative effect. However, she chimed in and mentioned that she went thru that period later in life; close to thirty, before landing an entry-level job at Pfizer. She talked about how it was an important time in her life and how; in the end, it allowed her to develop a "laser focus" as to what she was to do next.

Prior to this, she had worked mainly in restaurants, bars and retail while earning a Master's degree in history and secondary education. She sat on that bar stool until 2:00 AM. Promising that she would return the next evening, she mentioned she would be there each nite until Tuesday, and she asked me to go out with her on Monday.

I was skeptical, but thought it couldn't hurt. "Could a woman of thirty-seven truly be interested in me", I thought. I pondered it in my bed; looking at the ceiling for nearly an hour.

I would soon find out...