Design Language

Story Sent in by Vicki:

I took a pottery class a while ago and met Alvin. He seemed pretty reserved but opened up when I complimented him on his work. We spoke a lot more after that, and once we exchanged numbers it wasn't too long before we wound up on a date.

I was surprised when he pulled out a wrapped box and gave it to me. "You really didn't have to bring me a gift," I told him, "but thank you!"

It was a small, beautiful vase. Very symmetric and professionally crafted. I was really impressed. "Did you make this?" I asked him.

"Yes, with my own wheel," he replied.

I turned it over and over in my hands until I spotted the H&M price tag on the bottom. Oh.

I looked up at him as if to say, "Care to explain?" but he kept beaming at me as if it wasn't there. So I said, "I really appreciate it."

He nodded and said, "I know you can find the same one at H&M but they stole my design so I thought you'd like an original."

When we sat down to dinner, he picked up his water glass and gave it a good look. He said, "This is also one of my designs. Whoever stole it from me's pocketing millions."

"Are your designs stolen frequently?" I asked with mock concern.

"All the time," he said, then threatened, "You'd better not steal any of them, otherwise," he drew his finger across his neck.

I said, "I won't. Don't worry."

Looking back, I should've left then and there, but I didn't want him to think that I was running away to "steal his ideas." So I stuck around for dinner, listened to him mutter on a bit about people who stole his ideas and product designs, and then we went our separate ways.

When he asked me out again, I seemed to have something better to do with my time.