Talking about sex - Vicki Lewis Thompson

She's a woman scorned -

Back in high school, Katie Peterson asked Jess Harkins to be her first lover, and he turned her down. She grew up to be a mouthy local DJ and he grew up to be a builder of high-rises. Problem is, Jess is building a sixty-story office building right next to the historic adobe structure that houses Katie's radio station. Katie would hate the building on general principles - who needs another office building? - but she especially hates having her sunshine and view blocked, especially by the guy who sabotaged her self-confidence in high school.

As the construction rattles her studio windows and she has to drive around street blockades to get to work, her anger builds. On the air, she starts joking about the monstrosity going up next to her station. Then she escalates the campaign, inviting psychological experts to discuss why men feel the need to build skyscrapers and what it says about their sexuality.

He's a man ready to explode - Jess used to like listening to Katie on the radio, and had even considered asking her out for old time's sake. He turned her down on the sex because he didn't want a back-seat experience to be the first one for either of them, and he didn't have the money for a hotel. She didn't stay around long enough to hear that explanation, but now he thinks they might be able to rekindle the fire they once had.

Instead she's dissing his beloved project. He knows he should just switch off the station, but he's a glutton for punishment. If she were anybody else, he'd laugh. In fact, he's enjoyed her irreverent comments on other occasions. But now she's making fun of his work and that has to stop.

The showdown - Jess goes to the station to demand that Katie shut up about his project. She implies that any man driven to build a structure this high is obviously compensating for something. She leaves no doubt what she thinks he's compensating for. And Jess can think of only one way to change her tune . . .