Page 80 of Error Handling

“We were not,” Cassie interjects from her desk.

“She wants to create more Charleston ghosts and then capitalize on them,” I add.

“That sounds like Cassie,” Christopher says.

Cassie scowls at us and then breaks the expression with a smile. “Get out of my office, you two.”

“Are you going to wear your hair like that?” Christopher asks. He studies my hair like it’s a physics equation on Sheldon Cooper’s whiteboard.

“What’s wrong with my hair?” I styled it into loose curls with my barrel iron. The hairspray is five hours old but last time I checked everything was still holding up.

“Oh nothing,” Christopher says. “I just thought— Never mind.”

“Should I put it up? I have a ponytail holder.”

He grins and winks.

“Oh, I see. This is how we’re starting?”

“Your hair looks beautiful. You look beautiful.”

I giggle.

“Oh my gosh,” Cassie hollers. “You two better leave before I throw up on my desk.”

“Fine,” I say. I grab my purse from my top desk drawer and head out the door, which Christopher opens for me in his customary gentleman’s style.

“Where did you decide to take me?” I ask Christopher after we shut ourselves in his car.

“I was thinking we’d try to get some shots by Bayside Park Fountain.”

I nod in approval. I’ve never been anyone’s model before. Nerves tickle my stomach as I envision myself in front of Christopher’s camera making stupid faces, which I intend to appear sexy. But Christopher is as safe as anyone. If I look dumb, he’ll surely tell me, and we can both laugh about it.

The old fountain is a central feature in Bayside Park, which offers picturesque views of the harbor. It’s a ten-minute drive from the office, long enough for Christopher to tell me about the unmentionable pile he encountered on the sidewalk in San Francisco.

“How do you know it wasn’t a dog’s?” I ask.

“I saw the homeless guy squatting over it.”

“Oh.”

“Welcome to Cali.”

“Surely the rest of your stay was more enjoyable.”

“Absolutely,” Christopher says. “But it was mostly boring meetings in ballrooms. The homeless guy had dreads down to his belly button.”

“Did you offer him money or water?”

“I’m not sure it would have been a good idea. He was behaving erratically.”

“I’d say pooing on the sidewalk is pretty erratic. Did he try to cover it with dirt, like a cat?”

“Unfortunately, no.”

“Hmm,” I say, thoughtfully.

“It’s pretty bad when cats have better manners than humans,” Christopher says.