I understood the feeling.
"But we think she's going to be okay," he continued. "Like I said, they just need to do a few more tests."
"It's good to keep a positive attitude," I said. "Sometimes that makes all the difference."
We both went silent.
"So do you have pets?" Nathan spoke up, ready to change the subject. "You're good with animals."
"I had a hamster growing up. It died a long time ago."
"I'm sorry," Nathan said. "I never understood buying those kind of pets for kids. Don't hamsters only live a couple years? Kind of sad."
"Hm," I said, noncommittal. I didn't mention that was exactly why my parents had bought me one. "He had a good, if short, life. We bought him all kinds of toys. He loved rolling around in that hamster ball thing."
"Who wouldn't?" Nathan said.
"Me," I said, amused. "Rolling around in a giant bubble doesn't sound all that fun."
"Are you kidding? It sounds amazing," Nathan said. "Haven't you ever heard of zorbing?"
"Zorb-what?"
His eyes lit up. "You jump inside this giant plastic bubble and go careening down a hill, just like a human hamster ball."
"I can safely say that, no, I have never heard of zorbing."
"You've got to try it."
"No thanks," I said.
"You don't go to rock shows, you don't get trashed at nightclubs, you won't throw yourself off a cliff in a giant hamster ball…" He shook his head in mock disappointment, a smile playing on his lips. "What a dull life you must lead."
"I had a one night stand with a rock star, that's excitement enough."
"What are you doing this weekend?" he asked.
"Working."
"After work?"
"Sleeping."
"You can sleep when you're dead. We're going zorbing."
"Concerts, clubbing, one night stands, human hamster balls — you seem determined to pop my cherry at every possible opportunity, don't you?"
"And how many cherries do you have left for me to pop?" he jumped in with a sly grin.
"I'm not answering that," I said. "Have you ever actually gone zorbing before?"
"Nope," he said. "It'll be my first time, too."
"Great."
"So I'll pick you up bright and early Saturday morning."
It wasn't a question.
