Exchange between two people who have different ways of talking.
The time is lunch, but the year is debatable. The place is an upscale New York restaurant, but the topic hasn’t settled. Our first conversationalist is a retired, grayed, congenial man who really has seen the world in his long career as a spy handler. Our second conversationalist is a thin, slightly taller than average, 22 year-old with a model’s face. But if you ask her, the conversation is between a very sharp man from the past and an ambitious young woman starting a career.
“Amanda, have you thought about what you’ll be doing next year?”
“Yeah, I want to do something interesting. Maybe work in the Middle East, or I could be a researcher for 60 minutes.”
“Well, you know what it is they say.” William gingerly rested his fingers on the table as his eyes glanced first left then back. “You’re attractive. You speak well. You know, I know a guy who works at the Picknell Foundation. What if you were to get in touch with him? Maybe have lunch.”
“He sounds interesting.”
“You could enter into their broadcasting program. Like those…” William glances left again, though no reporters are sitting there. “Like those news anchors. Maybe in a few years, you can have your own show.”
“That’s a good idea, William, but I’m not sure that’s what I want. I’d rather be doing the research.”
“Well, you want to meet interesting people, right? That’s always been the one way to meet everyone. You’ll get to interview them. You’re someone who could win a grant to do that. Hmm, look, here’s what I’ll do. Why don’t I send this guy an email, and I’ll include you, Amanda, I’ll include you in it.”
“William, thank you for trying to help, but that’s just not what I want to do.”
“You know, I was just speaking with him at dinner sometime last week. He was asking…”
“Oh, how was the meeting? Do you know who the fellowship winners are?”
The time is today. The place is still the restaurant. The topic just changed.
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