The Jim and Pam Effect

I'm really not a proponent of s**ting where I eat.  Date a neighbor? No thanks.  Date a coworker? Even worse idea.

That said, something interesting happened at my holiday party last week...

Standing in line at the buffet table, my boss, in line behind me, started in, as usual, "Make sure you keep an eye out for any single guys.  You never know, there could be some untapped gems we don't know about."

Standing in line in front of me was Paul*, a cute guy from a different department who I'm friendly with, but also happen to know has a girlfriend.

"Wait," Paul said,  "I thought you were married...?"

"Um, no, definitely not."

"So you mean to tell me I could have been asking you out this whole time?" Paul says, with a wink.

Skkkkkeeerrdddttt [sound of car slamming on breaks].

"Um, well, ah, I mean you have a girlfriend and I'm 'married' apparently so...." I stammered, awkwardly, heaving 2 tons of corned beef on my plate just to keep busy.

"I'm seeing someone.  That's it," Paul said

What!? First, how do I give off the 'married vibe' at work? Maybe that's a good thing? Second, is he asking me out?

Paul and I ended up walking from the party to the subway together where he consequently told me he really didn't think things were going to work out with said "girlfriend" and that he would see me soon.

But what I am supposed to do with this information? Elaine* reminded me that most NYTimes wedding announcements do begin with "At the time they met, the groom was seeing someone, but quickly broke it off once he met the his now wife."

A couple facebook messages have now been traded.  I'll let you know where this goes...