"Didn't your entire set of troubles at this point begin in a bar?" she points out. There's another shot in front of her, and perfectly manicured fingers toy with it, tilting it to the exact angle before the liquid will tip out. "'Perfection is overrated' is what people who can't hopeto attain it tell themselves so they don't have to try. I'm perfectly content striving for the impossible."

That gets an inelegant snort from her, though. "Does this usually happen to you when you take a girl out?"