Autor sighs. "Oh, she's wonderful," he starts, running his thumb across a wineglass' rim. "She makes me dizzy in a good way and I never know what I'm going to say around her, because I get tongue-tied. She's short and adorable and she could probably fit right in my arms, if I held her right."

Then he frowns a little. "I messed up, though. I presumed to know her and I was unpleasant."