Elle sat down at her computer and logged on to Cupid.com. She had resigned herself to the task she'd been given and was eager to get the assignement finished, so she figured the sooner she began, the better. She already had a date set up with Jason, the IT consultant from Milton, but she wanted to get others set up if she could to keep the flow of material coming. Her page indicated she had a new message so she opened it to see if there was a chance it could be of use to her article.
As she read the message, a slight smile formed on her lips and when she was done, she clicked the tab that would show her his profile. His name was Jack and he was a Sgt. in Britian's Royal Air Force. He was a snowboarding fanatic by what she could tell, and seemed rather humble, not secretive like a lot of the other profiles, but genuinely revealing but humble. Although his message said he was just looking to chat and hear about her life, she still felt the urge to reply, despite knowing there would be no date, especially with him currently in Kandahar.
"Hi Jack,
I'm not sure how interesting my life is really, especially compared to yours. I'm a writer for the lifestyle column at The Star in Toronto. I tackle stories about trends in society. Currently, to be completely honest with you, I'm doing a series about online dating, which is why I'm on Cupid. My editor wants me to go on a few dates and report about it. Sounds kind of terrible doesn't it, to go on dates with men for no other reason than to write about what happens?
So, if that hasn't totally got you thinking that I'm completely opportunistic and selfish, then I'd be happy to chat with you while you're stationed in Kandahar.
Stay safe, Jack.
Elle xx"
Expecting that she had more than likely alienated herself with her confession, she browsed the day's matches, picked a few and sent her standard ice breaker message.
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Jason had agreed to meet her for drinks and as she entered the piano bar, she glanced around looking for someone that resembled his picture. The hostess approached her and asked, "Can I help you find someone?"
"Yes, tall man, blonde hair."
"Yes, he's just over here." She led Elle to a table by the window and Jason stood to greet her with a weak hug.
"It's good to finally meet you, Sharon." He said with an eager smile.
"It's Elle actually," she smiled politely as she took a seat across from him. The hostess couldn't hide her expression that clearly showed she was unimpressed with Jason; catching herself, she turned and walked away.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I knew that!" He said, embarrassed.
Elle wasn't bothered, she knew he was probably talking to a few girls and he just lost track of who he was meeting tonight. Their server came over and took their order. He asked for an imported beer and Elle ordered a glass of chardonnay.
"So, what exactly do you do in your consulting buisness, Jason?" Elle asked, trying to get the conversation going.
He pulled his head back slightly and gave her a confused look, but when he spoke it was with a certain level of condesention. "I'm sorry, is this a date or a job interview?"
Elle was taken aback a bit, but responded gracefully. "No, just trying to make small talk, why don't we discuss whatever you have on your mind then?" Well that did it. He droned on for nearly 2 hours about his time in college, his first marriage, his travels and hobbies and eventually his job! None of which interested Elle at all simply because he was so completely annoying. She couldn't help but think though that this was all great stuff for her first article anyway.
Just as Elle was wondering if he was ever going to ask anything about her , he suddenly stopped talking mid-sentence and gave a puzzled look out the window. "What's wrong?" Elle asked as she turned to see what had distracted him.
"Is that a guy or a girl?" he asked bluntly, going so far as to flick his hand in the direction of someone who had their back to them as they secured their bike to the lamppost outside.
"I don't know." Elle found it hard to hide the irritation in her voice. "Does it matter?"
"Well no," he said, "But I just can't tell." And he went right back into the story of the time he went on Safari in Africa, showing her pictures on his i-phone. About 15 minutes passed and he suddenly stopped again; a look of disgust splashed across his face. "It's a guy!"
Elle turned again to see the same person getting on their bike and begin to peddle past them. As she watched them ride past, her attention went back to Jason just as he mumbled, "Faggot."
Elle was stunned. His obnoxious behaviour had been tollerable in order to get information for her article, but this display of arrogant disdain was too much.
"What did you just say?" Her voice was controled, but her temper was bubbling up and he was, unknowingly, on very thin ice.
Jason creased his forhead, indicating he didn't understand her question. "What, that guy? He's gay obviously."
"And why do you feel the need to comment on that so crassly?" She asked, still controling her temper, but barely.
His arrogance showed in his smile this time. "Oh God, don't tell me that you're one of those politically correct people that takes offence to everything!"
"No, I just don't understand your desire to mention things that need not be discussed as it has nothing to do with anything, and isn't any of your business anyway."
"So him walking around looking like a girl makes me the bad guy? I didn't make him gay." He scoffed at her.
She was about to lose her cool. "Nope, it's you being a pretentious, arrogant slime bag that really thinks you're so important that people need to know or even care about what ignorant and pointless thoughts are running through your mind that makes you a bad guy." He sat across from her, obviously enraged by the fact that she had the nerve to speak to him that way. Elle grabbed her purse and stood up. "I'm not surprised you're single." She turned and walked towards the door as he called after her, finally finding his voice again.
"Yah, you too, bitch. Keep walking!"
She paused at the door and turned back to him, "Be careful sweetheart; your diva's showing." She responded sweetly as she winked at him, before she opened the door and walked up the street.
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Jack saw his charges back to their quarters and made arrangements to meet them in the mess the next morning before he was to escort them on patrol through the marketplace in Kandahar. He didn't much care for the media that came to cover the war. He'd seen the end result of their visits, the edited, dramatic scenes that often only focused on such a small portion of how they spent most of their time here. It was so black and white to them; it was about The Taliban and Bin Laden. They talked about sacrifice like they knew what it meant; whether or not they came home. Jack, and all the others knew that the real sacrifice was the isolation, lonliness and boredom that played tricks on your mind and morale every day. That was why such deep friendships were formed within the units and instant respect was given to fellow servicemen and women; they were the only ones who really, truly understood.
He walked briskly back towards the boardwalk and took the stairs 2 at a time when he reached the popular gathering spot on the base. Jack made his way to the sandwich shop and placed his order. He leaned up against the counter while he waited.
"Hey Morgan!" Jack turned to see his fellow Sgt. and best mate, Harry making his way over. "You going to come by later for some cards?"
"You still owe me 20 quid from the last time!" Jack protested.
"Yah, but if I win tonight, we might be even then won't we?" Harry reasoned.
Jack laughed and shook his head, "Yah, I'll be there." He took the sandwich offered to him by the counterperson. "See ya." He walked to the steps and jogged down them to the dusty ground, making his way to the communications building to check his email.
There were only a few others using the computers,but still Jack opted for the one in the corner again. He logged on to the site as he took a bite of his sandwich before he opened the red envelope to read the message. It was from Elle. He chuckled a bit as he read her explanation for being on the site. Perfect! No chance of her wanting anything from me other than some conversation.He typed his reply.
"Hey you,
Glad you're willing to chat, and I don't think you're the least bit opportunistic or selfish; you're just doing your job. I think it sounds like it might be a bit of fun. You'll have to tell me about it, then I'll be able to read your edited version online and feel like I know some deep dark secrets about you.LOL
So tell me more about you...I really want to know more about you but I'm really rubbish at asking questions, at least through email. I'm much better at it in person and would probably be asking loads and you'd be sick of me. I do have one thought though, what if you actually meet someone you like? You might want to consider what kind of bloke you're looking for just in case. ;)
But you're the writer, you start and I'll chip in here and there as we go.You do intrigue me though, so I hope you'll hang in there.
I think it's early morning there, probably not even up yet I'm sure, so when you wake have a good day and hope to hear from you soon.
Jack xx"
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"So how was your first date?" Stacy called ouy through gritted teeth that were holding a brown bag with croissants; her hands full with 2 cups of coffee, she hip checked the door closed behind her. "Elle?"
"Yah, I'm in the kitchen." She called from down the hall as she typed away on her laptop. "Nice, thanks!" she said looking up as Stacy entered the cozy, but modern kitchen. Elle stood and took the coffee and bag from her friend as Stacy turned the laptop to see what she'd been writing.
After a quick browse she spoke up, "Hey, this is good. Did he really forget your name?" Stacy sounded disgusted.
"Wait till you get to the end," Elle smiled as she sat down across from her friend and watched her read as she sipped her coffee. The expression on Stacy's face when she got to the bit about his nasty remark made Elle smile.
"He didn't say that?!" Stacy looked to Elle, the shock, clear on her face. Elle just nodded and offered Stacy a croissant. "Wow!" Stacy laughed. "That's a bad date."
"Yah, it was." Elle agreed.
"But who's this guy?" Stacy asked after she had clicked the tab to Cupid that Elle had open. "He's cute. What's the RAF?"
"Oh, that's Jack. He's a Sergeant in Britian's Royal Air Force." Elle took another sip of coffee. "He's in Afghanastan right now."
"Well that's too bad, " Stacy commented as she browsed his profile. "He'd probably be a good date."
Elle smiled quizically at her friend, "How do you figure?"
"Are you kidding me? Those deep blue eyes, a man in uniform and an English accent, he's probably perfect!" Stacy stated logically.
Elle laughed at her friend's criteria for a good match. "Well, we're just chatting. He really just wants people to talk to at the moment; gives him a bit of escape, that's all."
"Hmmm," Stacy seemed disappointed, but she perked up quickly. "So who's next, then?"
"Well, I've been talking to this one guy for a couple of days; he's an engineer, construction or something. I was going to see if he wanted to go to the Raptor's game on Thursday; I can get tickets from Heath in the sports department."
"Cool, well hopefully he's got better manners than this jackass." She turned Elle's computer back to her to reveal the article again.
"Well if not, at least I'll have the game to entertain me this time." Elle reasoned. They chatted for a little while and by the time Stacy left, Elle was feeling energized. She clicked on the tab for the dating site and responded to Jack's last message.
"Hi Jack,
Well thanks for looking at my latest assignment in such a practical manner, it does paint me in a bettrer light that way. J
So my article that will run in a couple of days pretty much explains exactly what happened but what I'll tell you is why I did what I did and why I felt so offended by what he did.
I think the cruelest thing you can do to another human being is to judge them based on appearance, gender, sexuality, disability...you get the idea; and well, when he did just that, for no other reason than to hear his own thoughts because he felt he was justified in having them... I just about lost my mind. (I do have a short fuse and injustice and rudeness is the quickest way to light it.) I felt such an intense dislike and disrespect for the man in that moment; the sheer arrogance that he displayed in thinking that it was his right to be so hurtful (wherther the person heard him or not) made me want to slap him...honestly. Instead I gave him a dressing down verbally and left as soon as I could. I really have zero patience for that kind of thing; people thinking they're better than others for whatever reason, and especially when it's based on assumptions rather than fact.
So there, now you know me a bit more and have some inside info that no one else does for when you read the article.
Interesting point about the potential for me meeting someone I might like, hadn't considered it actually; probably because I'm not looking at the moment. So, I'm not really sure what I'd be looking for in someone.
Now you...let's see, where to start? How about with how long you've been in The RAF? What do you do there and how long have you been in Afghanistan? Do you have any family? Do you get to travel much, where have you been and where do you want to go? What kind of sports do you like? And let me throw that back at you; what are looking for in a girl (or would you use another term?) Or is there already one back home that's caught your eye?
Well Jack, I'll leave it at that for now and I look forward to hearing from you again when you have some time.
Elle xx
She sent the message and sat considering the one question he'd asked her. It had been so long since she'd even thought of dating; almost 3 years. She had her reasons and thought they were justified, but she hadn't let herself entertain the idea of falling in love again for so long, that she wasn't sure what she'd be looking for if she did decided to jump into the dating scene again. Interesting. What would I want if I had the chance to find it? She shook off the questions she was starting to ask herself and decided to take a walk before she had to meet Tim for dinner.