Later that night, when they were facing a particularly cerebral challenge, Alilshy came up with the answer, seemingly out of the blue. Jeff was amazed, for the solution seemed connected only by way of distant and obscure logic.

Igor: Well done! That was brilliant

Alilshy: Not bad, if I say so myself. Not bad for a southern girl

Jeff stared. He shook his head, smiling as he typed.

Igor: Southern girl?

Alilshy: yes. City big enough to tell. Memphis

Jeff dropped his mouse. The odds that Alilshy was Janis just got much, much better. He fumbled to recover his pointing device and smiled.

Igor: I am from Memphis too! Small world!

Alilshy: Creepy. You're not going to stalk me and come

Alilshy: knocking on my door are you?

Her reply was certainly not what he expected. He had thought they were becoming closer, that she considered him a friend too, though she had not said so, unless ":-)" counted as an affirmation. Before he could reply, though, she was typing again.

Alilshy: That doesn't look they way I meant it. Sorry

Igor: ?

That was his stand-by reply when he wanted to hear more before saying something out of context.

Alilshy: Not that you would be a stalker. I just don't think you'd like me

Alilshy: in real life

Igor: Why would you say that?

Alilshy: Just the way I am. I am not very popular. I get weird around people

Igor: I'm sure your great. You are witty. Smart. Funny

Alilshy: That's just Alilshy. In real life, I'm none of those things

Igor: I don't mean to offend, but that is silly. Alilshy IS you

Alilshy: :-(

Igor: I mean, what comes out of your character HAS to come from you

Igor: You MUST be a great person

Alilshy: You'd change your mind if you met me

Jeff wished that he had pressed Doug about Janis, despite the virus. Though Jeff had only seen her in passing a couple times, from how Doug described Janis in the break room, he did not intuit her to be anything but likable. But Jeff had to admit that, given Doug's social experience, attention from any pretty woman would be a positive thing.

Jeff typed, "I'd like to meet you and see for myself," but never hit the send key. Too forward . . . he told himself.

Igor: I'm sure you'd be great

Alilshy: I am sure you are wrong. I can't even talk to my neighbors.

Alilshy: I have only a couple of friends at work in my group, and they

Alilshy: let me hang out with them at lunch out of pity. Not really friends

Alilshy: Just nice girls who put up with me. If it weren't for this game

Alilshy: I'd have no social life

Igor: Do you want one, outside this game? I told you about my ex GF and

Igor: that, back then, I decided to take time off socially for a while

Igor: Would you rather have a social life in the real world instead of a game?

A long pause once more followed. Jeff imagined her typing one sentence, then erasing it and typing another. Finally the chat window scrolled a line.

Hack-master: Hey m8! I am back from vacation! Sup?

It was a red buddy message, not chat from other characters nearby. Jeff buddy-messaged back.

Igor: Doing Lost Shaman. How was the beach?

Hack-Master: Wet and sandy. Kids loved it. Wife has killer tan lines

I can't have this conversation with Hack, now. The one with Alilshy is too serious. Jeff shook his head.

Hack-master: Weather was hot, though

Igor: Hey, I can't chat. Quest is hard and I need to concentrate

Hack-master: Cool. Hook me up with a sword when U get done? Lost mine

Igor: Sure thing

Alilshy: Yes. I'd like to have real life friends. No offense

Hack-master: Cool. Bye.

Jeff almost missed Alilshy's reply in the middle of Hack- master's. He was glad he saw it before it scrolled away.

Igor: What's stopping you? I'd miss you if you didn't play

Igor: but what keeps you from making real friends?

Alilshy: I am shy.

Igor: But, just a little? :-)

Alilshy: LOL! ROFL. Igor . . .

There was plenty of room left on the line to type more. That she put in the ellipsis suggested to Jeff that she intended to keep the next thought together. Jeff waited for the next line to follow.

Alilshy: You are a good friend. You make me feel good when you say I

Alilshy: am smart and such. It is easy to talk to you to anyone when

Alilshy: I have the computer to hide behind. In real life, I can't do it

Igor: I am sure you could, if you tried

Alilshy: I bet it comes easy for you. Not for me. There is a guy . . .

Alilshy: He lives in my apartment. He is always pleasant and such

Alilshy: He waves, smiles

Igor: I see

That was another thing Jeff typed when he didn't know what else to type.