This summer I moved to a new town for work. It’s a decent-sized Midwestern city, the kind of place with a small but active nightlife, a few colleges, etc., but nothing crazy. I didn’t know anyone here, but for the first couple of weeks that didn’t bother me, because I was focused on making a good impression at work, especially considering the way I fucked up my previous job. (It was a complete & unmitigated disaster. Long story, though, and beside the point.)
One day I was in the office building’s cafeteria, standing in line for another dilapidated burger and mound of soggy fries, when someone shoved their fingers *hard* into each side of my abdomen, right below my ribs. I’m a fairly fit guy, but definitely on the skinny side, so I don’t have much padding there, and it was extremely uncomfortable. I leapt instinctively away and collided with an old lady, sending her tray flying. In total fight-or-flight mode, I spun around, bringing my fists up, only to see Ashley grinning back at me.
“Still ticklish, I see,” she said.