Jana,

So you have a “sort of” boyfriend. Oddly, I don’t seem to be very upset or hurt by that. First, this is a very unusual situation for me to be in, perhaps the first in my life, and, secondly, even though it’s been many years since my divorce, I don’t feel any strong urge to get serious about anyone again.

But he must be really a “sort of” boyfriend if he’s married to a Filipina girl and also fools around with the other girls at the club.

Thanks for inviting me up to your flat last night. It’s been a long time since a lady “invited me in.” It made me feel just sort of accepted I guess and I don’t often feel that way. Anyway, there are far too many people living there but I enjoyed watching you and Asel make mante. I’ve never seen that done before.

I’ll call you tomorrow.

Me

Jana,

Your story of how you came here was really disturbing to me. I cannot imagine what sort of man would promise that kind of money for such a sacrifice from you and then not deliver. Of course it also shows how desperate you must have been to help your family. But you tell it now with so little emotion.

And the difficult time you had afterwards with whatever it was that left those scars on your legs must have been unimaginably difficult and painful. I don’t understand the Russian name you gave it but the scars suggest to me boils. I can’t imagine a cure that involves taking the blood from one part of your body and re-injecting it to another part. But at least the scars seem to be fading and will probably disappear altogether after a while.

You don’t know me very well yet, probably because I don’t seem to be a very easy person to know. But there are very few people, men or women, that I meet who can almost instantly, just by being in the same room, make me feel completely at ease and take away the loneliness that seems to always be with me. You are such a person. It’s pretty remarkable.

Even without sleeping together I know I would enjoy spending time with you. We seem to enjoy the same kind of movies, I genuinely like hearing about your family, your mom and your brother and sisters, we seem to have similar tastes in decorating and I sure get a thrill out of cooking for you.

Of course you have the looks that I might have custom ordered. I’ve always been strongly attracted to petite women with long dark hair. Oddly enough, I also think yours hands are maybe the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. I know, you’re probably already blushing while you read this. And I’m sorry, but I just have to say this: your body, to me, is just knock-dead gorgeous. Whoever it was that put that cigarette burn on your back... I think I could easily make sure that he spent a long, long time in the hospital.

Anyway, I’m so really glad I met you. I’ll see you in a day or two.

Me

Jana,

Thanks for coming to see me again last night. Actually, when I started to call you I realized that I had done something funny with my phone when you gave me your number the other night. Somehow I had separated your name and your telephone number and I was afraid I might not be able to call you. But I managed to connect them both together so it worked out OK.

What a really beautiful name you have. “Jana,” “Janyl,” with a “Zhj.” It sort of rolls out of the mouth kind of like the sound of something that should be sung not just spoken. And your last name perfectly fits with you first and continues the same kind of sounds. I don’t want to sound mushy but it’s like poetry or something. Of course your parents didn’t have any control over your last name but did they deliberately choose your first name for such a perfect match?

So, I’m not much of a social conversationalist and you seem to be a somewhat quiet person so we didn’t quite set the world on fire with our banter but I really did enjoy myself immensely and the time sure seemed to disappear quickly.

I really enjoyed hearing a little about your country and the town where you grew up. I have to tell you that, even though I think of myself as being pretty good with geography, I hadn’t heard of your country until a few months ago when I was talking with someone in the office who had made a trip there. I’d like to hear more.

Anyway, I’ll call you next week sometime and maybe we can have dinner together.

Me

Jana,

Last night your girlfriend spotted me immediately when I walked in the door and I couldn’t even get to my usual table before she had you headed my way. I was more than a little overwhelmed by your greeting and I was a little afraid that security might spot us and remonstrate with our behavior. Given the situation I guess I could question your sincerity but I don’t think I will because I don’t think I want to.

I really enjoy the music at the club. You would think that, with my taste for classical, jazz and folk music, disco would not be my style. But all the Pilipino bands in general in the city are pretty good and this one is really exceptional. I like the girl who plays lead guitar. She seems to project an unusual personality.

Anyway, I’m glad you came home with me. And I’m kinda glad we didn’t make love the first night. Last night was nice, nice, nice.

I think I’ll probably see you again soon.

me

Dear Jana,

I feel really lucky to have met you last night.

I’ve been working way too hard for way too long. It’s been worth it and I’ve accomplished a lot but lately I’ve really started to show signs of burn out. With that as well as being so far from familiar surroundings I’ve not really had any social life or any close friends for a long, long time. That’s just not particularly healthy.

On an impulse, I dropped into the club last night actually hoping I might run into Harold. I haven’t seen him in while and he hasn’t been answering his phone. I like the guy and he’s always good for a laugh or two. Of course I know he’s probably been grinding away as hard as I have.

Anyway, I was half way through my first drink when I noticed you over by the door talking to some guy. I’m usually only casually interested in the other people in a restaurant or bar but with you there seemed to be something different, unusual. I can’t seem to think of the word I actually mean. But I kept on watching you while trying not to stare rudely.

In any case, I suddenly started hoping the guy you were talking to would leave. I was more than a little surprised when, a few minutes later, he actually did leave. It had looked like you and he were there together for the evening.

I don’t usually buy drinks for strangers but last night it just seemed to sort of happen. I told the waiter to buy you a drink on my tab and thought that might be the end of it; maybe just a nod of your head for a thank you. But you came over to my table and all you actually said was, “Thank you for the drink,” and somehow just those five words sounded like a halleluiah chorus.

We didn’t seem to have much of a brilliant conversation after that but I’ve only a very few times felt such a sense of “rightness” or comfort with someone I’ve just met. Afterwards I tipped the waiter outrageously.

I hope I see you again. I think I’m going to have to adjust my work schedule to include a little social time from now on.

Me