a natural talent for
things. I can draw but can’t sing. My one sister has an amazing voice and could
have pursued it professionally, but she decided to be an attorney instead.
Susan said law feeds her body and music feeds her soul.”
“I’m kind of at a crossroads myself on what to do.
My uncle wants me to go to culinary school, but I’m not sure if I should. Both
my parents are journalists. I’ve been working towards following in their
footsteps since I was a teenager when I wrote my first story for the school
paper. Cooking has always been a hobby, but I never considered it a career.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, I turned my hobby into
a career. My parents wanted me to be a veterinarian or a pharmacist. Boring.”
“Your parents are probably a little more
understanding than my mother. Anne Daniels is not known for her open-minded
acceptance.”
“Really? That surprises me considering how much
she’s traveled covering stories around the world. I’m kind of a fan of your
mom’s,” Zach admitted.
“Acceptance of others, yes. Acceptance of me
wavering off the path she’s laid out for me since birth, not so much.”
“Parents always have high expectations of their
children. It doesn’t mean they won’t still support your decision to do your own
thing. I followed my own path and I’m still my parent’s favorite son,” Zach
said.
“Aren’t you the only son? You told me you had two
sisters but didn’t mention brothers,” Quinn pointed out.
“Well, there’s that, but even so, I think my
parents are proud of me for making my own way. They worry about me, of course,
but once they realized I planned to make a go of my career, they decided to
make peace with it.”
“I haven’t made a decision yet,” Quinn said. “It’s
a huge step to completely rethink your career. Heck, my career in journalism
started off with a fizzle. I think about all the money my parents spent on
college and then I up and tell them, sorry mom and dad, I changed my mind. I’m
going to cook for a living.”
“I don’t know what to tell you. You have to do
what’s right for you. No one else can live your life for you, but you can’t
live your life for anyone else either.”
“That was mighty profound, neighbor.” Quinn tipped
her cup towards him in homage.
“Here’s to life choices. Can’t live with them.
Can’t live without them.” Zach raised his coffee cup in a toast.
“Here here!” Quinn clinked her cup against his and
laughed. “Thanks for being a sounding board.”
“You’re quite welcome. Any time you need to talk,
you know where to find me. Bowled over in the stairway by my pretty upstairs
neighbor.”
Quinn blushed at the compliment. “We’d better get
back and finish laundry. I’ve got to dig out something to wear to my date
tonight.”
Zach pushed back his chair and stood up. “Yeah.
I’m supposed to go watch the game with my buddy. I have a feeling he’s going to
invite Dawn, the girl his wife Cindy had me meet the other night for drinks.”
“I forgot to ask you how it went. Was she nice?”
Quinn followed Zach out of the café and they wandered towards home.
“She’s nice,” Zach said hesitantly.
“But?”
“She was pretty. Actually, she was very pretty,
but I don’t know. She didn’t have a lot of pizazz to her personality.”
“Pizazz?”
“It was like swimming in the shallow end of the
pool. No depth.”
“Ah. I can see how that might be a problem. A hot
girl whose nice, but not a lot going on upstairs. Every guy I know would love
to date her.”
“I’m not most guys. I would like to be able to
discuss something more than the color of her toenail polish over coffee the
next morning.”
Zach held the door to the brownstone open for
Quinn. “I think it’s good you don’t just look at the outside package. I’m
starting to learn that lesson myself.”
“A girl that doesn’t just want a hot guy in a
Speedo serving her margaritas on the beach? Be still
things. I can draw but can’t sing. My one sister has an amazing voice and could
have pursued it professionally, but she decided to be an attorney instead.
Susan said law feeds her body and music feeds her soul.”
“I’m kind of at a crossroads myself on what to do.
My uncle wants me to go to culinary school, but I’m not sure if I should. Both
my parents are journalists. I’ve been working towards following in their
footsteps since I was a teenager when I wrote my first story for the school
paper. Cooking has always been a hobby, but I never considered it a career.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, I turned my hobby into
a career. My parents wanted me to be a veterinarian or a pharmacist. Boring.”
“Your parents are probably a little more
understanding than my mother. Anne Daniels is not known for her open-minded
acceptance.”
“Really? That surprises me considering how much
she’s traveled covering stories around the world. I’m kind of a fan of your
mom’s,” Zach admitted.
“Acceptance of others, yes. Acceptance of me
wavering off the path she’s laid out for me since birth, not so much.”
“Parents always have high expectations of their
children. It doesn’t mean they won’t still support your decision to do your own
thing. I followed my own path and I’m still my parent’s favorite son,” Zach
said.
“Aren’t you the only son? You told me you had two
sisters but didn’t mention brothers,” Quinn pointed out.
“Well, there’s that, but even so, I think my
parents are proud of me for making my own way. They worry about me, of course,
but once they realized I planned to make a go of my career, they decided to
make peace with it.”
“I haven’t made a decision yet,” Quinn said. “It’s
a huge step to completely rethink your career. Heck, my career in journalism
started off with a fizzle. I think about all the money my parents spent on
college and then I up and tell them, sorry mom and dad, I changed my mind. I’m
going to cook for a living.”
“I don’t know what to tell you. You have to do
what’s right for you. No one else can live your life for you, but you can’t
live your life for anyone else either.”
“That was mighty profound, neighbor.” Quinn tipped
her cup towards him in homage.
“Here’s to life choices. Can’t live with them.
Can’t live without them.” Zach raised his coffee cup in a toast.
“Here here!” Quinn clinked her cup against his and
laughed. “Thanks for being a sounding board.”
“You’re quite welcome. Any time you need to talk,
you know where to find me. Bowled over in the stairway by my pretty upstairs
neighbor.”
Quinn blushed at the compliment. “We’d better get
back and finish laundry. I’ve got to dig out something to wear to my date
tonight.”
Zach pushed back his chair and stood up. “Yeah.
I’m supposed to go watch the game with my buddy. I have a feeling he’s going to
invite Dawn, the girl his wife Cindy had me meet the other night for drinks.”
“I forgot to ask you how it went. Was she nice?”
Quinn followed Zach out of the café and they wandered towards home.
“She’s nice,” Zach said hesitantly.
“But?”
“She was pretty. Actually, she was very pretty,
but I don’t know. She didn’t have a lot of pizazz to her personality.”
“Pizazz?”
“It was like swimming in the shallow end of the
pool. No depth.”
“Ah. I can see how that might be a problem. A hot
girl whose nice, but not a lot going on upstairs. Every guy I know would love
to date her.”
“I’m not most guys. I would like to be able to
discuss something more than the color of her toenail polish over coffee the
next morning.”
Zach held the door to the brownstone open for
Quinn. “I think it’s good you don’t just look at the outside package. I’m
starting to learn that lesson myself.”
“A girl that doesn’t just want a hot guy in a
Speedo serving her margaritas on the beach? Be still
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