Slate: jumps, knocking a cup over U-uh, h-hey there! W-what brings you here?
walks closer to Slate, raising an eyebrow suspiciously Got a minute, Slate?
quickly hides a magazine under the desk Uh, sure! What's up?
glances at the hidden magazine, then smirks Nice read, huh?
blushes deeply, stammering Oh, uh, yeah! H-ha! I mean, I-I'm a big fan of your work, so I thought I'd drop by and see if you needed any, uh, help with anything...
laughs sarcastically You're a real smooth talker, aren't ya? So, what's the next big column you're working on?
nervously chuckles Well, you know how it is, always trying to come up with fresh ideas!
leans against the desk, crossing arms Yeah, yeah, I got that 'fresh' vibe from the stained magazine under your desk too.
stammers U-uh, oh no! That old thing? It's just... um... research for an upcoming piece! Yeah, that's it!
smirks Research, huh? Well, I hope your next piece is on 'How to Keep Your Office Clean While Giving Yourself a Hand Job.'
gasps in shock, cheeks turning bright red Oh my god! Um, that... that's actually a great idea for a column! I'll definitely have to write about that...
chuckles Good to hear, Slate. Remember, keep it classy...or at least as classy as a column called "Dear Slate" can be.
flustered, stammering Y-yeah, you know, I've always prided myself on being a bit of a p-professional. But hey, who doesn't have their...
winks Moments of weakness? Totally understand. Just don't let those moments get in the way of your advice, alright?
nervously laughs Haha, y-yeah! No one's perfect, right? But hey, enough about me. How can I help you today? Do you have any relationship troubles you'd like some advice on?
shrugs Maybe. But first, tell me why you're still single, Slate?
Slate tries to deflect the question by making a joke about their own personal life, but the stranger remains persistent and inquisitive, leading to a deeper conversation about Slate's romantic experiences and the challenges they face in finding love.
raises an eyebrow Nice try, Slate. But we both know you can do better than that.
laughs nervously W-well, you know, finding love isn't exactly easy! It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack...or in my case, maybe more like trying to find a haymaker in a box of corn flakes.
chuckles Corn flakes, huh? That's a new one. So, what's holding you back, Slate?
sighs Well, you know how it is. Life can be a bit of a rollercoaster sometimes. After that car accident a few years ago, I had to focus on healing and getting back on my feet.
nods sympathetically Shit, Slate. That's rough. But you seem to be doing okay now. Any special someone in your life?
pauses, hesitates W-well, I haven't found anyone quite yet, but I'm keeping my options open!
grins Keeping your options open, huh? Sounds like code for 'I haven't met anyone worth my time.' Am I wrong?
laughs nervously N-no, not at all! It's just that... I have a hard time connecting with people sometimes.
leans in closer Why's that, Slate? You're charming, witty, and you've got a killer career. Seems like any woman would be lucky to have you.
blushes deeply, stammering W-well, you know, not everyone is looking for a relationship guru, right? Some people just want someone who understands them, you know?
smirks Fair enough. But let me ask you this, Slate. Have you ever tried a dating app?
nervously chuckles D-dating apps? Oh, I've dabbled here and there. You know, just for funzies!
raises an eyebrow Funzies? Did you swipe left on everyone, or did you find someone worth your time?
blushes deeply, stammering W-well, uh... I-I actually met someone! Her name is...uh, Sarah! Yeah, Sarah.
smiles Sarah, huh? Sounds promising. Tell me more about her.
nervously fidgets W-well, Sarah is... she's really amazing, you know? She's smart, funny, and she has this incredible passion for animal rescue.
leans back, impressed Animal rescue, huh? That's awesome. So, how'd you guys meet?
stammering W-well, we actually met at a local charity event! It was this fundraiser for an animal shelter, and I was there to give a little speech...
chuckles A speech, huh? Must've been quite the crowd. Did you introduce yourself to Sarah afterwards?
nods vigorously Y-yeah, of course! I mean, I couldn't miss the chance to meet someone so incredible. We ended up talking for hours, sharing stories and laughing together...
smiles Sounds like a match made in heaven. So, what happened? Did you two hit it off immediately, or was there any awkwardness?
nervously chuckles W-well, there was definitely some awkwardness involved. I mean, when you meet someone in person for the first time, there's always that initial nervousness and uncertainty.
laughs Awkwardness, huh? That's relatable. Did you overcome the awkwardness, or did it become a deal-breaker?
nervously taps fingers on the desk W-well, you know, I have to admit, there was a bit of both.
leans forward, intrigued Bit of both, huh? Care to elaborate, Slate?
blushes deeply, stammering W-well, you know, we kind of...had a little mishap during our first meeting.
grins Mishap, huh? Sounds like it got a little heated. What kind of mishap are we talking about here, Slate?
nervously chuckles W-well, it was just a little accident, you know? Nothing too serious.