It isn't often that I let go of an opportunity to go on a date. It isn't often because I don't get one often. And so, it took a while for me to come to terms with how I was perfectly okay with saying no - I even thought the guy behind Murphy's law would be proud of me. 

Anyway, to tell you how I got there - it was just another morning when I walked into work, stared at the dumpster-worthy work and decided it would in my best interest to make myself a cup of coffee before diving into the pile. That's when I ran into her at the coffee machine and we both were surprised - I, pleasantly and she, I don't know. She smiled regardless. Schools have a predictable and mundane assortment of people and the odds of meeting someone who interests you is remote, especially if you were an average kid and it still makes you run for cover when teachers walk by. This woman was a welcome departure from the usual and naturally, running into her at work delighted me to no end.

We found a table and after some small talk, she popped the question, 'I see you in the school at morning on most days. Kids?' 

'Nah,' I said, taking a generous sip, 'Do I look old enough to be daddy?' 

'No!' she said, stressing on the 'O' to the point where it made me feel unfit more than young. 'You know, why would anyone come to school unless...' she stopped and bit her lips. 'I have a kid sister who goes there,' she said, preempting my (obviously) lame repartee. 'My kid brother goes there too,' I said.

'Ah! I thought you went there.' She grinned. She must be doing that to make up for assuming I had kids, I said to myself. You need to cut others some slack to have chances in life, you see. 'How I wish.' I said and shrugged. At this point, she leaned a little and tapped my palm playfully. 'In your dreams,' she said. 'You are no dad, but you sure are no school kid either.' I played along, knowing it was all headed in the direction I hoped matters would. 

'I am sure you at least live far away, from the school that is,' she said after a few relatively minor wisecracks that didn't set off any alarms. This one made me wonder if she was sweet and innocent or just plain stoned. 'Why would you say that?' I said - I felt I owed her the chance to explain her interesting (okay, okay) postulation. 

'Work is important and school isn't, at least not as much,' she reasoned. 'And you don't go there. So, I assume you stay closer to work.' I shrugged before managing to say, 'well.... that's.... an.... hmm... assumption.' By this point, I was getting this eerie feeling that you usually get when you realise you exited one fork too early and have traveled miles with absolute confidence when you shouldn't have. 

It dawned on me that she wasn't trying to strike up a conversation, but was just being herself. I was already longing to get back to my desk - certain indication that it was time to take a stand.  

'Where do you work by the way? Let me guess. Not here?' she said - lifeline handed on a platter.

'No. And I better get going,' I said and bolted away and didn't stop until I got back to my desk, knowing well and fully I had spoken the truth. Come on! No one works in the cafeteria.