Treacherous Waters, Part 4

Heathcliff had cleaned his car inside and out before picking up Barbara.  He wanted to make a good impression on his instructor.  His hair was freshly slicked, he wore his best conservative blue suit, and he had consumed three Altoids to deter any breath issues.  He couldn't imagine what could go wrong.

Barbara had decided that the best way to help was for Heathcliff to treat this first 'class' as a real date, just to get an idea of what she was working with.  A professional she was not, but she was fairly certain that, after an evening with Heathcliff she would instinctively know what he needed to change.  And so it was that Heathcliff sauntered to her apartment door at precisely 5:59 pm and stood in the hallway, waiting to knock on the door until his freshly calibrated watch turned over to 6:00.  His nerves started to get at him a little.  He reminded himself that this was not unlike the clients who came to him every day for advice.  It was a business arrangement, nothing more.  Hadn't he just printed out a suggested payment schedule one hour and four minutes ago? 

It was time.  His knock was immediately answered by Barbara; he smiled.  Promptness was a trait he always expected.  It was nice to not feel disappointed in her already. 

Barbara returned his smile with one of her own.  "Hello, Heathcliff.  It's good to see you again.  Are you ready for a fun night?".

Heathcliff was always ready.  In his eagerness to show his effective social skills, he retrieved the itinerary from his breast pocket.  "Why, yes, Barbara, I am.  Let us go through the evening's activities now, so you will be prepared.  It will take eleven minutes to drive to Applebee's, giving us a dining time of one hour and thirty minutes before we will need to leave for the special activity I have planned, as you suggested through Jeffrey.  It will last one complete hour.  I then have planned a quick dessert excursion which, with the driving time included, should bring us back to your apartment at 9:00 pm at which time I shall return home."

Barbara's eyes had glazed during this speech, despite Heathcliff vigorously pointing to each bullet on his printed itinerary as he mentioned them.  It was going to be a long night.  She pulled out her small floral memo pad, and jotted down her first of many notes.