The weather is warm and sticky, much too humid to be working outdoors. It's a good paying job and Bill needed the money. Working on repair jobs wasn't so bad, building houses and such.

Take the current project for example. An apartment unit had caught on fire in a nice little downtown area. Having worked with Matt and Steve before, Bill knew this gig would pay for at least another month or two. Long lunches and music-filled lesiuerly afternoons is the perfect job in florida during the summer, if you don't mind the heat.

The view wasn't exactly all bad either. The apartment they were working on was a second floor unit and it was perfectly aligned with the pretty blonde woman's apartment across the street.

Steve and Matt start to taunt Bill. The woman is pulling up to her apartment and getting out. Cute little sundresses are all she seems to wear anymore. She hasn't really gone anywhere and doesn't seem to have much in the way of worries. Steve and Matt had made a small wager against Bill to try and get him to talk to the woman.

Roughly twenty-something with honey and straw colored hair, she begins up the walk to her front door. Bill takes a deep breathe and bounds down the stairs towards the street followed closely at the heels by his friends bantering.

Kelly takes out her keys as she nears her apartment. Turning slightly at the sound of pounding footsteps, she notices the repair man from across the street make his way to her walk.

'Um....uh, Do you got a light?' Bill holds his breath in anticipation for her reaction. He had only noticed yesterday that she came outside to smoke ever so often. She usually had a little redish-blonde small dog with her.

'Sure....here you go' Kelly tosses the lighter to the sweat-drenched young man. Mid-twenties at the latest, he had distinct tattoos on his biceps of tribal designs and was not at all clean shaven, but still appeared neat. Laborous in his look, he wore a discheveled t-shirt, jeans and work boots.

There was a static-ridden moment where nothing was said but Bill's ears rang painfully in his inability to strike up a quick conversation. Feeling it neccessary to force a topic, Bill said the first thought that came to mind.

'So how old are you?' Bill blurted out and smiled, face reddening at his realized oversight in appropriate conversation starters.

'You are never supposed to ask a woman her age,' Kelly smiled at his obvious nervousness, 'guess.'

'23.' Bill said confidently.

To his dismay, Kelly's face fell in false horror. She found his reaction to her reaction completely entertaining.

'I am only 22!' Kelly smiled to ease his nerves. There was shouting from across the street as Bill's friends began cheering as they realized he had actually spoken to her.

'What's your name?' this would have been a far better question for Bill to have opened with but, thanked his stars, she had a sense of humor.

'Kelly.' She lit a cigarette having decided the company was good.

'So...Kelly, are you from around here?' Bill relaxed a little when she began to take pulls from her cigarette. He wasn't sure exactly what he was going to say to get her to stay and talk to him.

Kelly looked around the street and flicked at the non-existant ash accumulating on her cancer stick. 'I am from California, just staying in Florida while my boyfriend is stationed here,'

Bills face showed a hint of disappointment.

Bill, 'Boyfriend? In the Navy?'

Kelly, 'Yep...'

Bill, 'Well, I guess a girl as pretty as you doesn't stay single very long,'

Kelly, 'I guess not....'

There is an awkward moment between them. Finishing up thier cigarettes, Kelly begins toward her apartment once more.

Bill, 'Well, when he messes up, and they all mess up sooner or later, you come and find me. I will be working across the street there for at least another month or so. You just give me a holler,'

Kelly turns back towards Bill and smiles, laughs a little and disappears into her apartment.

Bill runs back over to the guys across the street. Shot down, defeated, but still small victories are to be had. He collects his small reward from Matt and Steve. Taking  a look back across the way to her empty yard, he is glad he at least asked her name. Now he has a name to go with the pretty face he can see across the street every day.

Not a bad way to spend the next month or so.