A Stellar Secret

When I left the university and joined a large company, I found myself among older people, few of whom shared my interests.

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I became friendly with the young secretaries, all of whom were Eurasians. I was especially friendly with Ellie, petite and charming, with large eyes and long hair. She smiled often, and each time she smiled there was a beguiling dimple in her cheeks.

Ellie had a close friend, Stella, who joined us periodically. Stella was statuesque, noticeably well-dressed; her glistening hair cascaded to her waist. She had left school to join work but loved to read and had a reputation for good work. I liked her instantly and enjoyed her company. Ellie and I would invite her, and on Saturdays we would have coffee at Flury's or a gimlet at Trinca's.

A big change occurred when Oliver arrived in town from the company's headquarters in London as a young auditor. No two youths were more unlike: I was earnest and gregarious; Oliver was pleasant but asocial. Strangely, from the moment my boss asked me to show him around town, we hit it off. He was older and taller, devoted to his work and clearly of the new English generation, devoid of colonial pretensions. We became friends. I helped him meet people he needed to know, in the company and outside, took him around showing him the main stores and streets, clubs and cafes. Eventually he met Ellie.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Oliver asked.

"She is a girl, and she is my friend," I replied as accurately as I could.