Share your plan with Dad.

"You can't be serious," your dad sighs, massaging his temples. "That's... well that's just crazy. What even gave you the idea?"

You explain it all to him. Everyone at the office knows him as a withdrawn sad sack. But if he had a date, that would change everything. It would get people talking. They'd see that he was not only talented and a hard worker, but also confident and charming. There'd be no way the higher-ups could ignore him after that. "And obviously," you add, "it's not a real date. That would be crazy. We just... let people see what they want to see."

He shakes his head. "David, I just don't know... what if someone finds out?"

"We won't tell anyone. It'll be our secret." You look him dead in the eyes. "Dad, if you don't want to go through with this, that's okay. But... I want to help you. Let me do this for you."

He spends a minute in silent thought.

"Alright," he says finally. "I'll do it. Just this once. Something to laugh about afterwards. And David-" his breath catches. "Thank you. I don't know what I did to deserve as loyal a son as you are."

"You were yourself," you reply with a smile. "That's what you did. And it was all I needed."

You cast a furtive eye around the pharmacy as you scoot on over to the aisle farthest from the door. There, between the condoms and the emergency contraceptives, sit a few of the infamous bottles. They're a discrete gray, for the most part, but with the telltale pink streak along the side. There aren't many left, and you hope you can find the right kind...