For Tina Hamilton life was a fast paced world in which she flew Friday's to meet with international corporations and returned back to her New York City condo on Monday only to deal with more clients. Her weekends normally a blurred memory of meetings and obligatory dinners all seemed to stop this one Sunday flight.

Per usual, she had her Pellegrino water and was concentrated on her mini ipad that sat on her Ralph Lauren covered legs. She hated getting dressed up for airports only for the security to wrinkle her clothes and go through her bags. You would think that the German officials would know who she was after 5 trips in the last two months.

Slowly raising her manicured hand she took another sip of her water when she noticed the man who sat in front of her with sunglasses on.

'Odd', she thought. It wasn't sunny outside. But she quickly chastised herself- 'Maybe he's blind Tina.' 

She looks up again but this time is offered a smile. She smiled back.

'He's not blind. He's a douchebag.' Tina spoke to herself again. 

Resuming her attention back to her ipad she glanced at the clock again, 1 more hour until her flight. The VIP Lounge was often her hot spot. Only first class flyers were given the lounge option and it began to feel like home for her. Until the occassional creep would sit next to her and try to begin conversation.

Soon enough the 'douchebag' removed his sunglasses and walked over to the bar to get his own bottle of Pellegrino. She first noticed his height. 'He must over 6 feet,' she spoke to herself and quickly returned her eyes back to her ipad when she was politely interrupted.

"Prost," the young german man told her with a raised glass.

"Prost," Tina responded toasting her glass with his and smiling before taking a sip. 

After their eyes lingered for a bit, Tina returned back to her ipad but now with the image of this handsome man burned into her memory. She pushed back a piece of hair becoming frustrating as she thought about the last time she had sex. It was college. 

Now two years out of law school, successful at the age of 26 she had yet to find a suitor. The mystery man was now preoccupied on his phone also and Tina sneakily snuck in a couple stares. Their eyes would dance around each other but soon enough Tina's body had other thoughts, all that Pellegrino had her feeling like she needed to run to the bathroom. Of course they were the only two people in the lounge. She stood up, smoothed her skirt, smiling once again to the handsome face that looked up to her, and made her way to the bathroom.

Looking at herself in the mirror she fixed her hair but soon stopped laughing at herself. She was acting like a little child. That man outside probably didn't speak any english and the fact that German men barely wear wedding bands made him a usual. Probably married looking for a fling.

Walking out of the restroom she was stunned as she saw her belongings now with the man's as it appeared that others had joined the lounge in the few minutes she went to relieve herself. Returning to her seat she smiled and said, "Danke" to the man, as she picked up her bag that was now in the seat adjacent to his.  

"Mein name ist Manuel, alle nennen mich Manu," he said in German offering a handshake.  My name is Manuel. Everyone calls me Manu. 

Tina offered a smile and her hand saying to Manuel, "Mein name ist Tina. Ich bin American." My name is Tina. I'm American.

He seemed to have been stunned by Tina's almost perfect accent. But Tina was more stunned by his beautiful facial features and the view his v-neck was giving her.

"Holiday?" He asked her in a heavy german accent.

"Arbeit," Tina answered putting her ipad in her bag. Work. 

"Work in Deutschland?" Manuel was trying to piece together what was happening and the confusion on his face was adorable in the eyes of Tina.

"Ja , ich arbeite für ein Amerika - deutschen Anwaltskanzlei," Tina quietly responded. Yes, I work for an American- German international law firm. 

It clicked in Manuel's mind and he sighed and smiled as he processed her words. "I barely speak English," he told her the truth laughing.

"Ich kaum sprechen Deutsch," Tina returned his laughter. I barely speak German. 

Manuel scoffed in disbelief and scratched his head trying to find the word he wanted to express. "Beautiful? You?" Du bist schon." You are beautiful. 

Tina felt herself blushing and giggled like a little school girl in front of Manuel who was also smiling from ear to ear.

'JFK bound flight is now boarding at Terminal D' the announcer interrupted Manuel and Tina.

"Das is mein flug," Tina stood up grabbing her suitcase. That is my flight. 

Manuel stood up and began to fidget in his pocket for a pen and paper. "Haben Sie einen sicheren Flug . Werden Sie wieder in Deutschland bald ?" Have a safe flight. Will you be back in Germany soon?

"Ja, Freitag." Yes Friday. Tina smiled again to Manuel and clutched her carry -on bag. 

"Gut, Gut." Good Good. Manuel nodded as he wrote  his name and phone number down and gave it to Tina. "Call me." He said with a boyish grin.

Tina accepted the piece of paper and folded it neatly before placing it in her bag and walking away. Glancing back before entering the elevator to take her to the ground level of the airport she noticed Manuel still standing, with his arms crossed, and slowly raise his right hand. 

Entering into the elevator she pressed the down button and focused on the man waving goodbye to her before the closing doors blocked her vision. Reaching into her pocket she read his name aloud, 'Manuel Neuer".

'Neuer sounds like noodles,' she giggled to herself as she waited in line to board her flight with the rest of first class when she overheard the screams of young girls. Turning to see what the commotion was all about, a now surrounded Manuel, continued walking to where Tina assumed his flight was taking off, but he was now being hounded by young girls, men and camera men.

"Who is he..." Tina said outloud more to herself than to the gate keeper.

"Manuel Neuer... Goalkeeper of the German national team," the flight attendant smiled as she scanned Tina's boarding pass, "Have a safe flight Ms. Hamilton."

"Thank you," Tina said beginning to board the plane before stopping and going in her bag to double check and make sure she hadn't imagined her previous interaction with Manuel.

Manuel Neuer

5-555-55-5555 :)

Seemingly wanting no one else to see the piece of paper, Tina clutched it tighter to her chest and boarded her flight, this time less excited to be returning home, but instead anxiously awaiting her return to Munich, Germany.