I don’t know about you, but I am getting a little frustrated with Eugene’s indecisiveness and procrastination when it comes to Emily McNash… even his closest friends have had enough.

Recently, Eugene asked his buddy William if he would like to join him for lunch at Flo’s diner. Now ordinarily, Will would have been delighted to meet up with Eugene; share some lunch and catch up, but word had spread that Eugene was driving all his friends crazy by constantly bombarding them with questions on what to do about Emily. It now appears to be Williams turn, and being the loyal friend that he is, he must accept the invitation.

“Good God, man! Just go ask the woman out!” William blurts out impatiently through a mouthful of cheeseburger. “The worst she can say is no.”

Eugene can hear the frustration in Wills’ voice and in the voices of a lot of his friends over the past couple of weeks. He’s feeling a bit foolish but terrified nonetheless.

“Okay! Okay! William, I hear you.” Eugene says sheepishly. “I will go ask her out as soon as we are finished lunch.”

“No time like the present, old buddy. I couldn’t eat another bite anyway,” William says as he pushes his half-empty plate away. “This one’s on me…now go!”

Eugene thanks Will for lunch and starts out towards the pet store. Deciding to give himself a little more time to think, Eugene takes the long way through the park. Coming around the bend onto a large grassy field, he spots in the distance no other than Emily McNash enjoying the day with a picnic lunch and a book.

His first thought is how beautiful she is. His second is to turn and walk the other way. Just as he is about to turn and run, Emily looks up from her book and spots him, greeting him with a happy wave and a warm smile. Eugene stops dead in his tracks, puts on a nervous smile and waves back. Emily motions him to join her.

‘Oh God, she wants me to come and say hello! I should have never come this way in the first place’ Eugene frantically thinks to himself. However, that very tiny voice of reason that actually does reside somewhere inside Eugene’s otherwise feeble courage sees this as an opportunity.

‘Buddy this is perfect, she has made the first move and called you over. This is so much better than you going into her store for no reason and making a fool of yourself again. She will probably start the conversation, so all you have to do is follow her lead. If all else fails, just play with Jasper.’

Eugene gathers his courage, stands a little taller and heads across the grass to say hello to Emily.