"impeccable"
373 words
19 minutes
One follow up to "somewhat."
"Larry!" Charlie called his rapidly disappearing friend.
"Not now, Charles! We can continue this discussion after my class!" Larry said as he turned the corner. "And don't follow me! I am not going to say a single word on the matter until after my class."
Amita passed Larry, and gave Charlie a confused look. "What was that all about?"
Charlie sighed and rubbed his face with both hands. "I asked Larry a simple, straightforward question, and he is refusing to give me a straight answer."
"What was the question?"
Charlie blinked at Amita and shook his head. "No."
"What? What do you mean, 'no?'"
"It was a dumb question, and Larry was right to weasel out of answering it."
A smile spread across Amita's face. "I thought there was no such thing as a dumb question."
Charlie blushed as he turned back toward his office. "This one was pretty dumb."
Amita took his arm and leaned against him as they walked down the hall. "You can tell me. I won't tell anyone else."
Charlie took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. "Okay. Promise you won't laugh."
"I will try my very best not to laugh."
They walked into Charlie's office, and he closed and locked the door behind them. He turned and faced Amita, his hands on her shoulders as he stared into her eyes. "I asked him if my work could be described as impeccable."
Amita blinked. "That's an odd question. Well, let me see. Impeccable means flawless, perfect, having no fault..." She pondered for what seemed like hours, then shook her head. "I don't know Charlie. You're good, but I don't think your work could be described as perfect. Remember what Marshall Penfield did to your Eppes Convergence a couple of years ago. He discovered a flaw."
"True," Charlie said, slowly smiling. "So you'd say my work is ... somewhat impeccable?"
"No, I don't think that's possible. Something can't be somewhat perfect. It either is or it isn't."
Charlie laughed and kissed her soundly on the lips. "Amita, you are wonderful! You have found the flaw in Larry's logic."
Amita shook her head. "Charlie, are the two of you ever going to grow up?"
"I hope not."