Lesson 5 Part 2

Symbolism assignment

“Hey Mags! I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show.”
“Sorry I'm running late Eric.” Maggie gave him a quick peck on the cheek before sliding into the chair across from him. “Work has been hectic this month. I really want to hire some more employees, but Jane says we can't afford it yet.”
“Give it time. Good things come to those who wait.”
“Speaking of waiting, have you ordered yet?”
“Just a few cocktails.” Eric said, before draining the last of the martini in front of him.
“Cocktails in the afternoon? My, if I didn't know you and that smile, I'd think something was wrong.” Leaning forward, Maggie lowered her voice to little more than a whisper. “Speaking of cocktails though, I had this dream last night.”
“Ooh, do tell!” Eric put his elbows up and leaned over the table in imitation of Maggie, resting his chin in his palms. “You do know I love how elaborate your dreams can get.”
“Well, it was strange. You and I were meeting for lunch, kind of like we are now, but we were underwater. We didn't care that we were underwater, we just continued eating our steaks and having-”
“Mmm, steak. I believe I know what I'm ordering.”
“Haha, you snot. You can't to make a dream come true! It's supposed to do it all on it's own without any coaxing from meddlers like you.”
“Meddlers like me? Are you saying I'm a meddler?”
“Precisely! Now as I was saying, we were eating our steaks and having a grand old time, except for this bunch of fish that kept swimming around your head. You didn't mind that they were there, but they irritated me to no end. And then when we were almost done with our meal, they started pulling you!”
“Pulling me? Pulling me where?”
“I haven't the foggiest. But they picked you up, and you waved goodbye to me. I started crying because I couldn't follow you, but you and the fish swam off, taking the pool with you. And you left me crying there at the bottom of the pool into my martini! It's one of the most bizarre dreams I've had of late.”
“That's interesting that you had that dream.”
“Why's that?”
“Because-”
"WHOA!" Maggie flailed her arms about as a leg on her chair broke, toppling her sideways.
Eric stood up with such speed that his chair went flying back onto the floor. "Are you okay Mags?"
"I'm OK, nothing but a bump." Maggie pushing away Eric's hand as she pulled herself up off the floor and brushed off her skirt with her hands.
"I'm so sorry about the chair." said an approaching waitress as she pulled a new one up to their table.
"That's all right. Nothing's bruised except my ego." Maggie settled into the new chair presented to her, and scooted toward the table. Eric picked up his own chair and sat back down as well.
“I'll talk to my manager about these chairs. Are you folks ready to order?” she asked, as she replaced Eric's empty martini with a fresh glass.
“Yes, I believe we'll both have steaks. Mine medium, and hers medium-well.” Maggie felt her eyebrows almost jump off her forehead in shock. Eric must have had a bit more to drink than usual if he was ordering for them both. He'd done that on their first couple dates, though she had quickly broken him of that habit.
“Any sides or appetizers?”
“Not for me. Maggie?
“No. Though I'll have a glass of whatever he's having.”
“Sure thing. I'll put your food in, and be right back with your drink so you two can keep on celebrating!” The waitress bounced off toward the kitchen with a skip in her step.
“Celebrating?” Maggie asked when the waitress had disappeared through the swinging kitchen doors. “Are we celebrating something today?”
“As a matter of fact we are. I wanted to tell you first, but you were late, and I was just bursting to tell someone.”
“Really now. So tell me mister, what is this special thing that you just couldn't keep in?
“I just got a new job.”
“Really? Congratulations! What is it?”
“Starting on the fourth of May, I'm going to be working with dolphins.”
“Dolphins?” There wasn't a tank big enough at the zoo to hold anything as big as a dolphin. “Are they getting a new exhibit at the aquarium?”
“No. I start training my replacement there tomorrow. I'm going to work with my old colleague Professor Marks.”
“Professor Marks? I thought he received some grant and was following mammals around Hawaii.”
“He is.”