“There is an opening in my friend’s company that may suit your qualification but there is one problem,” I said to her. She was happy to hear tha...t there was an opening. She immediately asked, “What is the problem?”“Your qualification is good and there is no problem with that. I am just not sure that you can do this job.”“Just tell me what should I do? I am sure that I could do whatever you want me to do.” She replied with so much eagerness to get the job. I said to her, “You don’t have to do. OK?"We both nodded, not knowing what else to do."Promise?"Once again we both nodded."Good. Now firstly Katie, I want to apologise to you. I had a bigproblem about your gender or the apparent conflicts and I took it out onyou. My losing my job at social services made me realise that I (had)did have a problem and I needed to do something about it .I took a longhard look at myself and didn't like what I saw. I was stupid, narrowminded and irrational and I paid for my actions by losing my job. I. “I’m sorry I had to do that. I might have gone, eh, gone too far…” There was a pause, then “I’m sorry,” and he hurried out of the room. He thought he’d gone too far? I thought he didn’t care… But he does. What is going on? He seemed really guilty. Maybe he cares after all. I didn’t think this was going to end this way. I expected to hate him for doing all that to me, but now…She had passed out within a minute of him leaving the room. He heard some faint noises of a shower, but it all seemed far. "Let me look at you. You look amazing," she said, taking in everything- my clothes, my hair, my makeup. For some reason I felt absurdlypleased."You look great yourself. You haven't changed a bit." Well you certainly have." And with that we both burst out laughing. Afew heads turned to look at us but we just kept laughing. I had a painin my side by the time we stopped.June ordered some drinks - another G&T for me and a white wine for her- and sat down across from me."So," she said, raising her.