Suddenly it struck him – a flashback to the Friday night before:

“Don’t you darling me, what do I look like to you, a fucking pink princess?”

Jenny was his friend.  A good mate, and pretty damn cool, for a lesbian.  He did a double take as he realised he was thinking that way, the way that she obviously hated, but hadn’t actually let him know, until that night.  He didn’t want to upset her again… but now… how was he supposed to greet her?

Just say hello?  Well that was a bit gay, wasn’t it.  He bit his tongue.  This was going to be difficult.

Jenny stopped to chat with Mark from accounts.  She smiled, you could see it in her eyes, she fucking hated him.  Jenny was awesome!  He’d hate to be hated like that.  Think, dammit, think!

Er, hello mate?  Mate?  But that would imply that Jenny was a guy.  She’d take it as if he was implying she was butch.  Lesbians must hate that.  She was a bit butch, but, shit, it’s not like she was a body builder.  He wondered how lesbian body builders greeted each other in the gym:

Hello mate!

Hello chum!

Hello Jenny!  You’re looking rather German today, loving it, ja, loving it!

Jarvis pawed the side of his face.  This wasn’t helping.  She had started to walk again.  He ducked back behind the partition.

Good morning – too posh.

Hello friend – too eccentric.

Hello Jenny - too formal!

‘Ello guv – where was she from anyway?  Not worth the risk!  And winking was fa——-r out of the question while a little nod was just… not friendly.  How about pretending to be on the phone, then widening his eyes, raising his eyebrows, smiling and giving a quick wave of the hand?  Notbadbutshe’scomingrightnowohshit

- Alright there Jarvis?  Spacing out again?

- Er, uh, hi there Jen, how’s you.. going?

- Good.  Did you get that guy’s number?

- What?  Guy??

Jenny winked at him and started to walk away.  People were watching.  He stood up with a jerk.

- Oi!  What do you mean??  I didn’t get any guy’s number, I’m not gay, you freaking body builder!

Turning back, Jenny poked her tongue out and gave him the finger, with a grin.

- Bye Jarvis, see you for lunch!

- I’m not bloody gay, alright?

Looking around, he gulped.

- Not that there’s anything wrong with that.  Haha, bye Jen, my jolly gay pal, byebye…  God I love gays.

He sat down and pretended to make a call, swivelling his chair around, staring into the unreflecting fabric of the blue partition.