Slowly he explained the rules and the importance of being honest. He even made a joke about not cheating off anyone.

One kid made a comment that if any girl wanted to mate with him, she only had to follow one rule. Show up at his dorm door next semester. He believed in love at first sight and he’d welcome all types at all hours of the day or night.

Another added, “Why do we have to learn to talk to the opposite sex or take them out? The point is to insure the continuation of the species.”

Ketch smiled, waited for the room to settle, and repeated the rules. Then he looked at the instructor. The man nodded once, and the survey began.

An hour later he was in another class. This time senior citizens. Several students appeared to be sleeping. Those taking notes seemed to take the questions much more seriously than the high school students had.

By eight he was watching his third group, a couples’ cooking class in the community center. To relieve his boredom, Ketch looked over the room trying to figure out if anyone attracted him. All his adult life he’d always looked for the tall girls. He liked a woman to come at least to his shoulder. Five-nine or taller.

By now he should know what turned him on. Tall. Street smart.

The students seemed to fade like wallpaper as he thought of Tuesday. She wasn’t tall enough or old enough, but there was something that pulled him to her. He could almost feel her head lying on his chest. The time in the attic had seemed removed from everything else in the world. Time passed as silently as the clouds above and for once Ketch had felt at peace.

Suddenly, there she was at the back of the room, standing in the doorway as if he’d conjured her up. Worn blue jeans and a shirt two sizes too big. She might be twenty-two but she still looked like a kid.

As he collected the completed surveys, he kept checking to make sure she was there. He hadn’t seen her since Sunday, and in an odd way, he missed her even though a week ago he hadn’t even known her.

After thanking the chef, Ketch headed for the door. “Any chance you’ll feed me?” he said to Tuesday. “I’m starving.”

She laughed. “I can’t afford to feed you. How about you buy a pizza and give me a slice?”

Sexual attraction was standing right in front of him. He didn’t need any survey.

When they arrived at the café, he ordered a meat lover’s pizza with extra cheese while she found a table. As they waited, they talked of everything and nothing. Her garden. His work. How the students had reacted to the study on attraction.