You get to a point in a relationship—any sort of relationship, romantic or other—wherein you begin to display each other's mannerisms, ways of speech, behaviors. Well I've known Nick for a good five months now, and I recognize that I am an altered person. I watch television. I find the taste of draft ciders slightly more than palatable. Every now and then I find myself groaning when I sit down or stand up...the very quirk I teased Nick for soon after we met. I use his catch phrases on occasion..."Well, exactly...", "Yah think!?", and the hypothetical "Whaddaryah gonna do?" when it is altogether obvious that there is nothing that can be done.

The same is true for him, as I learned this week when I caught him after work with a coffee stain on his shirtfront. Ah yes, the Laura-branding hath begun. I've already noted his regular use of "seriously," which is an old stand-by of mine...because, obviously I need to specify when I'm being an idiot and when I am playing the scholar...the differences in my demeanor being too subtle to differentiate. Now, I wait for the clumsiness to take hold.