A wonderfully extended GM

Today I met Melody [not her real name]. She just turned 12 last month, and while she's extremely tall for her age, about 5 ft. 6 in., she looks ten or eleven in the face. Very beautiful, with piercing steel grey eyes and flowing dark blonde hair, a rosebud mouth, and cute dimples in the cheeks.

She was in the area from another state, visiting her dad, whom I have known slightly for several months. I think the fact that her dad already knew me, helped.

I was doing some 'housework' type activities, and she asked if there was anything she could do to help. I offered her two tasks to choose from, she chose one, and for the next two hours we chatted about everything under the sun as we worked side by side. From time to time our hands would brush as I handed her something or she handed me something. It was electric, at least for me. Except for one brief moment near the beginning, when I saw the familar 'I need to be careful because I don't know this man' look flit across her face, she was entirely natural in her demeanor, asking knowledgeable questions, volunteering information about her life at home, and things about her dad I didn't know yet. One of the best two hours I've spent in a long time.

I had to leave before they did. When I announced that it was time for me to go, she expressed real regret, and said she was sorry to 'lose me so soon.'

Believe me, she wasn't as sorry as *I* was!!!

One nice thing about this is that I see the dad at least once a month, and now that I have met his daughter and he knows that, and knows that she and I chatted for a couple hours, it will seem quite natural for me to inquire about her from time to time. So perhaps we'll meet again some day. A pleasant thought.

--Jensman