Title: When Relationships Go Sour Type: Date Published: 2007-07-12 Can be purchased in Volume 1

     Jo wasn't speaking to me, and though I relished the tranquility, I found myself in our director's office explaining the situation.
     I had been the top person in our area until she came. But she was better than me at almost everything from the moment she arrived. That didn't bother me as much as how she flaunted her supposed superiority. I was 20 and she was 22, and the fact that we had to work together at times just made it worse. If I did 15 presentations in a week, she did 15 and a half. If I did 17, she did 17 and a half. I never figured out how a person did a half of a presentation to Mr. John Doe Public, but she always reported a half of a presentation more than me. It didn't help that she carefully waited to find out how many I reported before she reported hers.
     Another young man in our group suggested I should, sometime in the future, consider marrying her since, he said, I was the only one he knew that could stand up to her. I told him that when I was young my mother had washed my mouth out with soap for saying things that weren't near that vile. To be honest, Jo's and my relationship truly did have everything that a good love-hate relationship would have - except the love.
     To make matters worse, those we reported to had the audacity to suggest that perhaps our enmity toward one another could be diminished by finding some outside activity that we could enjoy together - in a group setting so we didn't kill each other. I thought that was the most dim-witted idea that I had ever heard. Why would I want to spend my free time with her? But Jo thought it was brilliant. I'm sure she latched onto it as another chance to annoy me - and again show her superiority.
     Thus, the test of my patience was brought to a head when, on an off-work day, I organized a basketball game for some of the young men in our group. I'm not sure how Jo found out about our game at the local YMCA. If I ever do find out, somebody is in big trouble. But the fact is, she showed up with another reluctant young woman in tow.
     I asked her what she was doing and she informed me that she was there to play basketball with us. I told her we had planned to just play with the eight of us that were already there. She said it was a free world and I wasn't king and she could play if she wanted. I told her the teams were already even and she said that was why she had brought someone else ready to play. I was at a loss and looked at the other young men. They just shrugged. I finally agreed, partially because athletics was the one place I shined. When she told the other young woman to be on my team and she, glaring at me, joined the opposing team, I warmed to thought of teaching her a little lesson in humility.
     She stood about five foot tall to my five foot ten inches, though she was indeed a ball of fire and a good player. But I had played a lot of street ball in New York, and our team was gradually pulling into a huge lead, which did not play well on Jo's temperament. The longer the game went, the darker her mood became. At one point, when she made a shot and I knocked it forcefully to the floor, I thought I was going to see her lose her barely-controlled temper, but she restrained herself with little more than a glare and a growl.
     But then came the moment when she thought she had a free break the full length of the court. She dribbled the ball at full speed, but I outraced her and, just before she reached the basket, I made a clean steal and headed to the other end for an easy lay-up. I turned to gloat, only to find her bearing down on me like a miniature locomotive. She slammed into me, but I was still robust from my years in athletics, and she only bounced off, landing on her back on the floor. She jumped to her feet, fists clenched, yelling, "That is no way to treat a lady!"
     Forcing a fake, calm smile I replied, "When I meet one, I'll remember that."
     "And that, Sir, is when she took a swing at me. And she hasn't spoken to me since."