“When I said to call me if you need anything, I meant—” “If I needed a kidney, or a rec letter for an internship, or five hundred thousand dollars. I know. But what if I want to…” A dramatic pause, for effect. “Talk.” “We shouldn’t—” “Talk?” I can almost see him leaning back in his chair. How long does it take to memorize someone’s mannerisms? Could it be less than forty-eight hours? “This is highly…” “Fun? Joy-inducing? Welcome?” “Problematic.” I huff. “What does ‘problematic’ even mean? It’s way too broad a term. Variable definitions.” “You know exactly what it means.”
