Mamihlapinatapai

Something I found one day while browsing through an old Guinness Book under "most succinct word". It's Fugeian (apparently a South American language) for "looking at each other hoping that either will offer to do something which both parties desire but are unwilling to do."

Rebecca approached the entrance. There I was. As usual. As expected.

"What am I going to say," she wondered. 

She caught me off guard. For a brief moment, I couldn't remember her name.

"Oh, hey," I said as cheerfully as possible. Inside I was kicking myself. Rebecca, dammit, Rebecca.

"He's kind of flustered," she thought.

He always was. Except when he had business to do.

She walked by me. "Hi, John," she said.

"I like your thing on your shirt." 

It was the Eastside Fire and Rescue patch she got for her new job.

"Yes, I'm official now," she smiled. "Well, it's great to see you." She continued on. Not today. Not today. It was too risky. She wasn't ready to upend her life. Yet.

"Are you coming in?" I asked.

"No, just going to the Garage," she said.

The Garage was one door down. I was disappointed.