...phone call about herpes

[at work, cell phone rings, unknown number at the screen. Me thinks it is “one of those calls to wrong number, as always!”]
Me: Hello!?
A guy I recognise: Hi, I just wanted to ask you can you get herpes in your mouth?
M: [thinking, I know this guy, don't I. Isn’t it X? but not sure… since I have his number in my phone ahh well…] yes you can. Why do you wonder? [thinks again, gee.. you have been a naughty boy now haven’t you? Or are you worried your gf has transmitted something to you? I did watch the Sopranos yesterday when they talked about ‘taking a trip south’…]
A: I’m just a work and we were betting that you could.
M [walking away from my SHARED office since this might be a private conversation and being a scientist I want to explain what I mean with herpes]: Yes, you contract herpes in your throat, mouth but usually it is visible outside your lips… as a rash… it is the same thing as ‘the other’ herpes. [Why on earth I didn’t call it genital herpes I don’t not know… maybe because I don’t want to be found talking about genital herpes in a private conversation on my cell at work…. I don’t know.]
A: Ok princess, thanks. I’ll see you later. Ok babe?!
M: Ok, take care.

Princess? See you later? Babe? All this time and I am not really sure on who I was speaking to. I mean, one could say again that those nick names (pet names?) really always throw me off guard. I am not use to them and every time I hear them I feel special… [Note to self; probably the reason the men hand them out like candy. Your weak knees…. ;) ] Gosh, I really should learn to ask “who’s calling please”/”who’s this” or at least say that since I am at work I pretty much disconnect my brain from the knowledge of the actual people I know and enter work mode. (ok, not all the time – I obviously spend an awful lot of time trailing the internet, reading emails etc… but still, when someone calls I can tell my brain is unawake in that aspect.)

Well, that kind of set a theme for the day. Thinking about who that was (I think I know but that makes it all even more strange since he is not working this week and he was clearly at work now.) and thinking about that small jolt in my tummy when I heard princess and babe, again. Yes, I have a feeling Valentines actually will suck this year… maybe I should just go bowling?