(re-run)

Troy had the best job for meeting women. He was a parks worker for the city of Clayton, which contracted with the county for a workforce from the work alternative program. In other words, drunk drivers and those with misdemeanors could work off their time instead of paying fines. He was their supervisor.

Katie, a really cute woman with long blond hair and a shapely athletic body, caught his attention. Early in her two-week assignment, she flashed Troy when she lifted up her shirt – no bra.  Was she trying to get some time shaved off her work sentence? Troy was in no position to authorize that.

The county had strict worker rules, so Troy waited until Katie graduated from her work assignment before he asked her out. He invited her to a monster truck show at the Oakland arena. When he picked her up, she looked stunning in her blue jeans, high heels, and a tight top.

Troy had bought a brand-new 35 millimeter camera to bring to the event (this was a couple of decades ago before digital cameras). He was excited about the date, the show, and his camera.

They found their seats.  While sitting there, Katie looked around the arena while Troy positioned his camera to take a shot. When the first trucks came roaring out, the noise startled Katie. She threw her hands up in the air and knocked Troy's camera into his Big Gulp drink.

After that, the ruined camera was front and center in Troy's brain. He couldn't get past it.

All around, it was an expensive date.

Katie didn't flash Troy that day. He never took her out again.

Troy did meet one of his wives at work with the work-alternative program. Eleven years and three kids later, he discovered that she had been cheating on him. That and her substance abuse problems were too much for him. He filed for divorce and ended up with the house and the kids.

Couldda Wouldda Shouldda

Meeting women at work maybe wasn't such a good idea with Troy's job, but Katie could've turned out to be a keeper if Troy had only found a way to get over his drowned camera.