She glanced up and spoke. "Fine, thanks. How are you?"

"Alright." And I added silently to myself, "Except for the butterflies flopping around in my stomach."

The woman sitting next to her got up and I immediately sat down. That was luck, probably wouldn't happen again in a lifetime. Anyway, here I was sitting next to her, feeling like a tongue-tied sixteen-year-old. The weather seemed a safe enough subject. I tried.

"Isn't this a beautiful day," I ventured.

"Umm . . . glorious." She looked at me for a few seconds as if confused. Abruptly, she turned her head. But not in time to hide the patches of red that covered her cheeks.

I couldn't imagine what I'd said to embarrass her, so I decided I'd better let it ride for a while.

In a few minutes we neared her stop. I thought a moment and had an idea. If only it would work. "Say-do you have a few minutes? I could stop off here and have a quick cup of coffee with you." I held my breath.

She glanced down at her watch. "Well..." she hesitated ". . . alright. I hate. to drink coffee by myself." She smiled again showing even, white teeth.

I followed her off the bus and she led the way to a small coffee shop. "Black coffee, please." She told the counter man.

"The same for me." I reached into my purse and grabbed my cigarettes. "Would you like one?" I asked her, extending the package.

"No thanks, I don't smoke." She answered in her soft, willowy voice.

"Maybe we should introduce ourselves. I'm Terry Advena." My throat felt parched and I could hardly swallow.

"Hi Terry. I'm Karol Stack."

"I'm glad to know you Karol. I suppose you're teased a lot about your name Stack... stacked. I won't mention it." I laughed weakly. I had a special talent it seemed, for saying stupid things. I couldn't even think coherently. "Oh yes. People seem to delight in the possibility." Then she blushed a deep pink, as if realizing what she had said.

The fifteen minutes or so that we sat there ended all too soon. But I had found out her name and address, and had left her with the promise of seeing her on the bus again tomorrow. She was very easy to talk to. I knew I liked her very much, and wanted to see her again... SOON. More important, I was certain that she liked me too.

The day went slowly. My thoughts were whirling and I had trouble keeping my mind on my work. People talked to me all day, but I scarcely heard them. I simply could not wait for tomorrow morning. It seemed years away. Her name kept running through my mind... KAROL . . . KAROL. There was a wonderful sound to it.

After work I went right home, ate, took a quick shower and went to bed... I couldn't sleep.

My thoughts were dominated by Karol. Could she be like me, I wondered? Could she have the same feelings for me that I have for her? I asked myself a thousand torturing questions, none of which I could answer.

All these years I had been so alone; always hunting for something that had eluded me. I hadn't known what it actually was until two years ago when one of my closest friends had given me a copy of The Well of Loneliness to read. After that, I had understood myself fully for the first time. But until I had met