An Affair of the Heart

Chapter 4: The Next Time

The business purpose that had created the opportunity for Alex and me to work together was concluded a few weeks after he and his group made the trip into my city. What usually happens in these kinds of situations is that when a project is finished, those involved say their good-byes. Everyone murmurs banal remarks like, "Thanks for the help. Great to meet you. Hope we can work together again. Etc. Etc." Then everyone goes their separate ways, usually totally aware they will never see or have contact with one another again. Alex and I did not let our association end as it might or easily could have. No, this is not entirely true. Initially, it was me who did not want contact with Alex to be over. I did not want to leave him in the category of only of a vague memory. A man I had met somewhere, sometime like the proverbial ships that pass in the night.

My thoughts of what Alex would look like, be like, sound like, and act like were no longer an unknown. Having met him now and spent time with him, I found him unique, intriguing and different. Totally unlike any man I have ever met before. He made an indelible impression on me. Before we met in person, we had already developed a connection. That connection had become stronger after spending time together that day. I felt Alex and I were meant to be more than simply passing acquaintances. Something special, some kind of friendship, some kind of a more meaningful relationship was going to develop between us. I felt this with a certainty I cannot explain and was determined not to miss an opportunity to pursue what it might be. 

Before I knew it, three months had passed with no further contact between Alex and me. Not to say I was not thinking about him. He was on my mind all the time. I had become fascinated with him, intrigued with the idea of a man like Alex being in my life in some way. When the time felt right, I called Alex at the office number he had given me. He was working in the Foreign Liaison Division at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. I wanted to hear his voice,  to ask how he was doing, and just see what was going on in his life. When Alex answered the phone, he seemed surprised but quickly said, "I'm glad you called today, Lily. It's really good to hear from you."

We talked for several minutes and had a good conversation as we caught up with each other's lives. Alex told me he was several months into a specialized training program. When he  completed it, he would be re-classified as a POLAD (a "Political Advisor). A top-level position in the Air Force, it meant re-assignment to a four-star commander with a four-year commitment to stay in the position. Only a few slots had been available for the training and Alex had been given the last slot. He was a logical candidate since he has a Master's Degree in International Relations, experience in the Foreign Liaison Division, and Spanish as a second language. From a personal career standpoint, the training would give him additional specialized knowledge and invaluable experience. His resume would be stronger and his ability to apply for the future assignments he would be interested in would be greatly increased.

Then Alex said the timing of my phone call was perfect. He had just returned to the U.S. from an extended, 3-1/2-month out-of-country assignment. As part of his POLAD training, he had been on TDY (temporary duty) at the United States Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. There he had learned about the policies, procedures, and protocol for conducting liaison work at the embassy level. The remainder of his training would take place in Washington, DC. He would be involved in various short-term assignments at the State Department and in other Federal Government departments and affiliated agencies. When his training was finished, he would receive new orders and learn the location of his new duty station.

From the tenor of Alex's comments as weended our phone call, it seemed he would like for us to stay in touch. This is exactlywhat I was hoping for. During the following weeks, Alex and I were in contact with phone calls and emails. In one of our phone calls, I told him a business trip would bring me intoWashington, DC in early February. When he asked, I was very excited and happy to accept his invitation to meet himfor lunch on one of the days I would be there. Even though he would be on assignment at the State Department during the time I was in DC, Alex assured me this would not interfere with our making lunchplans. So we decided upon the day, time, and a place to meet. I blocked out several hours onmy schedule for that day so we could enjoy a leisurely lunch and some uninterruptedtime together. I was excited as I waited for Alex at the street level exit of theFarragut East Metro Stop in downtown Washington, DC.