'cut n dry'

Yesterday, my entire day was filled with meetings back to back. The first meeting of the day, involved a client of mine, someone I haven't seen in at least a year. Most of my clients keep in touch with me by way of phone or email notes. Some I get to meet more often, depending on the dynamics of their portfolio. This one, I do not meet or rather, avoid meeting, simply because over the years, he's become a friend but who prefers to take the friendship to a more 'casual' level.

He's got ego oozing out of every pore that it annoys me sometimes - because although I do take referrals (from him), I'm just very uncomfortable when the relationship travels outside work. I'm rather sticky about who I get comfortable with, even if that means sitting down having a stress-less cup of coffee. Preference is NOT to get stuck listening and rehearsing patience everytime the cup of coffee becomes sticky.

He describes me as a 'cut and dry' person. The kind who says just what she means, no room for negotiation. The last time I heard that descriptive used on me was from a close gf.

Probably, in this context, it would mean, everything that warmth doesn't emulate. I guess the same still holds for men, who cannot get what they want - even in later life - that it's never them who's the problem, its' the cut n dry woman. Portfolio or not, I'd rather be cut n dry, because although it's always a great feeling to know that we are looking yummy - it's not a good thing to know that we are less selective in closing the gap between what's work and what's not.

I don't have problems drawing the line - some people have problems dealing with that clear line thus the label, cut n dry. Ask me and I'll say no - doesn't even have to be anything more complicated than dinner - when that happens, it means I've done classification. The label doesn't change.
I got drawn into this meeting because I happen to know this guy. My colleagues, being men, picked up the cues right away - and one even told me, after the meeting that this guy has a very soft spot for me. What else is new? It's a male thing - you tend to be a little more interested in un-won conquests. Yes, I always get a phone call after he has a visual brush with me. He's very open about it, and I'm very open about where I'm coming from too. Which makes this even.

Perhaps he's right, I'm cut n dry, but he omitted one small thing - that there is another side of me, which I keep very low-key - which is everything, I'm openly not.