But I'm whining, and I actually have something specific to ask you, which I'm clearly putting off, in the hopes I falter and won't. But here we go: I am probably breaking all Society of Fellow bylaws in putting this to you--and if you say no, as I imagine you must, it will be totally fine, I promise, I am nothing if not a gentleman--but even though I know you are simply an especially friendly person, even though I know that, given how absolutely lovely you are, you must have a boyfriend for every day of the week and two on Sunday (or girlfriend, this is the twenty first century I keep forgetting!), if I'm wrong and you are somehow single and you think you could be interested, I'd love to take you out on a date sometime. There's this great little wineshop downtown, for example, that has free tastings every Friday. Again, if you say no (or say nothing), I won't breathe a word of it again, I promise you. I just figured the only thing worse than asking would be not to. I hope you understand, and I hope you have a nice night!