Awkwardness probably came along with conversations about how one spread their legs as a lofty businesswoman, but no matter! Paul pressed on, like a valiant soldier. "It's fascinating to me," he said. "It mostly involves measuring currents, temperature, salinity, light availability, nutrient concentrations, water chemistry, things like that. Well, that's mainly what I focus on. Some study marine and plant life, others study strictly the ocean floor."
He didn't really think she was interested in all of this, but she had asked! "I'm really good at predicting the weather too," he added, offering a smile. Really, he was trying. He just wasn't good on dates anymore or...whatever this was supposed to be. Conversing? With the opposite sex? His skills had probably all flown the coop after his life went down the shitter. "I seem to have a weird knack for it."