She's pretty, frighteningly competent, much more intelligent than I (though you could also say this of the brown crust at the bottom of my tea mug), encyclopaedically knowledgeable about every bit of the job, knows at least half the people who come in by name and preference, totally professional, always smartly dressed, unfailingly polite and pleasant even to morons, and in every way, shape and form, makes me look like shit.

I think I'm in love.

Basically.

I took her out for her birthday, nice restaurant, nice present. Three days later, she says we have to talk. Perhaps she didn't like the food? Whatever the reason, 'we have to talk' is usually bad, and when we did, she started listing all the demands on her time, building up to "I haven't got time for you."

Except I beat her to it.

She was still in the middle of her speech when I pre-empted her, saying flat out, it's over. She was a bit miffed I got to say it, but that's just tough shit for her.

I don't really care about who said it... The result us just the same.

Man, I am really sorry for this. Perhaps she will come to her senses.