Dark brown

"...there are signs of a market easing coming into forecast in a few months time, let's make sure we get..."

Jim rolled his eyes and fought to stay awake as the corporate head of finance droned on and on over the power-point he was aping in the background. A last-minute call from downstairs had sent him rushing to the conference center downtown, all of which ended up being that the company had paid for a seat and they would be damned if they let the $5,000 registration fee go to waste. Jim wondered if there weren't anyone else on the middle-management level that could've taken this and then, when he got there, he realized why he was called.

Goddamn market analysts.

He was in Management.

Feeling the snoring through his bones, he struggled to stay awake and suppressed another yawn before he looked down at the packet of paper material in his lap. It was useless material but the company still expected him to bring it home and so he dutifully grabbed the three inch binder and was now wishing he was stuck in some other boring-ass meeting, preferably one with more comfortable chairs. The Hilton was many things, a good place to hold large meetings was not one of them.

Turning his attention instead to the quiz, he pulled it out and looked at the question in front of him.

6.) IF YOU WERE A GIRL...WHAT COLOR WOULD YOUR EYES BE?

What on earth does being a girl have to do with eye color? Jim had wondered that ever since he read the question at home before he got to work but the more he thought about it, the more intrigued he was. Having reviewed the prior answers, he wondered what color would go good with his black curly hair. On the one hand, he had hazel eyes, a gift of sorts from his soulless ginger of a mother. He liked green eyes a lot and he suspected, if he were a girl, that he would likely have inherited the same color eyes like his sister, being blue, or even keeping his hazel irises. He liked them, actually.

But then again, I have black hair. Would I likely have Hazel or something like Grandmother? He remembered that she had dark brown colored eyes that really made her whole face pop. Grandpa used to comment how he could stare at those eyes from a room away and know she was looking at him. He wasn't sure if that type of stare would be something he'd like.

Shit, why not?

I would have dark brown eyes to match my hair and complexion to match.

The lights turning back on caused quite a few people to stir, him being one of them, and as his eyes adjusted to the light, he blinked more than a few times, before he regained his focus and turned back to the meeting. Lunchtime could not come too soon as far as he was concerned.

***

"So...let me get this straight...you had to drop your report and go to a meeting that you weren't even understanding, all because your bosses didn't want to lose a $5,000 deposit?"

Sean sounded equally as incredulous at his misfortune and Jim just nodded, sharing in the laugh with the man, as the two of them turned the corner and continued to jog a bit. Laura was going to be a bit early that evening, though early by her world usually meant something like 11 or midnight, so when he got home, he called up Sean and the two of them met up and went for a jog. He wondered internally what the young man must've been thinking, appearance-wise, as they came across a few people on the jogging path. Sean was a tall, young, well-built black man. Jim was a decent size, 6'1", but that was all he had in remote similarity. He was easily 90 pounds heavier, had a gut and was a bit chubby in places.

Oh yeah, he was as white as snow. That would stick out.

Still, Sean didn't seem to mind at all and the two of them had struck up such an ease and familiarity that a person listening into their conversation would've thought they had known each other for years and not for days. Sean was respectful, patient, and very well-spoken at what he was doing. He had a way with words and Jim found himself perfectly at ease now listening to his suggestions. Even though the pants he was now wearing was a bit long and stretchy around his hips and butt, Jim didn't really seem to mind that they looked a bit like the yoga pants that Angela would be wearing at times. Sean had recommended it and Jim trusted his judgment. He wouldn't be suggesting things if they weren't going to help me.

"Here, shall we pick up tomorrow? You're making great progress."

Jim nodded and shook Sean's hand. "Thanks man, I feel so much better now that I'm getting out and about."

Sean nodded and the two of them parted. Jim walked back into his house and checked the messages on the phone, noticing one that was from Laura. Without a doubt, he picked it up and listened as Laura apologized and mentioned that she was going to have to pull an all-nighter on their department project. Some doctoral was presenting a major paper and she, as one of the committee members, had to stay back to help polish the paper for presentation. He wondered why he had married a Physicist at times but he loved Laura, that was not a question, and she gave him Angela, an even better gift.

Still, as he looked at his reflection in the mirror, it sucked. The only company he had for weeks now was glancing back at him. He didn't even have the drive to jerk off in the shower. He got out and looked at the quiz on his desk as he walked back into the bedroom and with a few moments spent getting dressed, he picked it up.

7.) IF YOU WERE A GIRL...WOULD YOU LIKE MAKEUP?