Writing in the rain...

BC: But tell me, was there nobody apart from these people who could have been a substitute?
Me: No, first tell me about the switching gears for the future...
BC: You'll make me lose my job sweetheart :(
Me: (Insistent) But you were teaching me navigation till now - (reaching out for a lever) like this takes us to the past...
BC: (Taking my hand in his own - with a playful smile)...yes, but I must stop after a point...trade secret you see...
Me: (Leaning unto him) Ok, ok, ok, but won't you lose your job if someone catches us flirting in here? (giving an indicative glance at my restrained hand)
BC: I shall tell them I have caught a thief, and ever since then, because I found her to be a beautiful specimen of the opposite sex (kissing my hand) I am trying my best not to fall in love with her...so I am asking her about the love affairs she has had...
Me: (with wide eyes) And?
BC: (Kissing my lips) And she's telling me one sad story after the other...a never ending saga of failed love affairs...
Me: (Pouting) And? Spreading all negative energy?
BC: (Kissing my neck) No way, just forcing myself to shut shop and make love to her...
Me: No, wait, wait...what happens to your business?
BC: Nobody goes to the past or future when it rains - they always stay very much in the present...now either you tell me if there was someone else, or you let me have my way with you...you love it when it rains, don't you...
Me: Wait, why should I answer all the questions? Weren't you ever in love? You tell me about that...
BC: (Suddenly sitting straight and talking to a serious looking elderly lady who had appeared at the ticket counter) Hello Ma'am, you enjoyed your last trip?
Lady: Not really, I found that my husband was way too busy chatting with my sister...
BC: Oh never mind, your sister must be married now...
Lady: She just got widowed two days back...
BC: I am so sorry for your loss...(looking enlightened) wait, you don't mean to say?
Lady: (With pursed lips) Exactly, so could you please give me a ticket to the future, so that I can check things out?
BC: Of course ma'am, I'd love to, but you see, the counter is closed today...
Lady: (In an extremely surprised tone) But isn't it open till 7 in the evening? It's just 6:30 now...
BC: Yes ma'am, but we close half an hour early if there's bad weather...
Lady: (Still not convinced) But Mr. Clerk, surely you understand the seriousness of the matter? (Leaning in closer to explain further) If he...(suddenly discovering me) wait, who's she?
BC: Oh she's just a new apprentice - on the job training you know...(quickly changing the topic) Ma'am I perfectly understand, I shall book your ticket first thing tomorrow, Ms. Clerk, do give keen attention to cases like this, madam here absolutely loves her husband, so on their 25th wedding anniversary she opted to visit the past and relive their first anniversary...and now she (coughing) - assuming some imminent personal calamity, wishes to visit the 26th?
Lady: (In a stern voice) No, earlier than that...
BC: (Quickly catching on) Yes of course, she expects the tragedy to strike soon, Ms. Clerk, you must have heard the point about her er...sister...so she doesn't want to take a risk...Ma'am, like I said, please come back tomorrow. We shall try our best to help you...
Lady: (Gives a sigh and an irritated grumpy look, then leaves)
BC: (Gives me a mischievous grin and a wink as he closes the counter window) So Ms. Clerk, ready for some more "behind the window" training?
Me: (Hitting him playfully with my fists) Open the window Mr. Clerk, don't you know I love the rain? By the way, you were telling me about your love story...when the awful lady came up, one who doesn't stay in the present even when it rains...
BC: (Overpowering me and taking me in his arms) She's not awful, clients are never awful, they bring money...
Me: And I bring only sad stories?
BC: (Smelling my hair) No, I have a sad story too...
Me: (Looking up at his face and giving him a little kiss) And?
BC: And that was in Andromeda, we were stationed there for research studies on the effect of caffeine on the natives...
Me: (Awestruck) Natives as in?
BC: (In my ears) Aliens...beautiful ladies and sturdy hot males - all of them looked young, notwithstanding their age...
Me: (With wide eyes) Is that possible?
BC: (Silently and innocently) No...(with a naughty gleam in his eyes) I was just kidding...
Me: (Pouncing on him and hitting him hard on his chest) I will kill you some day, you'll see Mr...(remembering something)...why does she call you Mr. Clerk?
BC: (Laughing) Oh, she asked me my name, and I said that I am clerk, booking clerk, she didn't catch the first name and didn't ask me to repeat - she calls me Mr. Clerk since then...
Me: And since I am your apprentice, I become Ms. Clerk. Wonderful! (Thinking a bit)...why is it that you never tell your name? Even I don't know...
BC: I told you right? I am this native of Andromeda, we don't have names there...
Me: (Sarcastically) Oh of course, only I didn't get the part that even you are a native of Andromeda, I thought you are a human there, having gone to do research...
BC: (Laughing) How many human do you know who travel inter galaxy and run time machines and read people's minds?
Me: (With even more sarcasm) Ya, and look so handsome and well built...the perfect man, oh I now understand why you mentioned the sturdy hot males of Andromeda who are forever young...
BC: (Dreamily) And the perfect man meets the perfect girl and they don't fall in love...does it ever happen?
Me: (Thoughtfully) Yes it happened once...
BC: When?
Me: Long back...I was young then, I met a man, let's call him M.
BC: (Raising his eyebrow) M?
Me: Ok MM then...
BC: (Eyebrow goes up by another inch) Mmm...delicious...
Me: (Angrily) That's it, I won't tell...
BC: No no, I am perfectly serious, please tell me...
Me: (In a remote voice) We went to the sea, rode a water scooter...
BC: Ahem...
Me: (Ignoring him) He used to wear glasses. Funny roundish glasses...they got misty in the ensuing water jet.
BC: Then?
Me: He asked me to clean them - but my palms were sandy, I was lying on the beach before we set off...still I rubbed his glasses with my palms - and he was blind...totally blind...and we didn't know where we were going - oh how I enjoyed the ride...
BC: And?
Me: And nothing...we were never in love...not even in a friendship. All I remember is that one incident. We were both good looking, intelligent, probably perfect for each other - but love never happened between us...
BC: And you know that love will never happen between us as well, even though I love you?
Me: Yes, it is obvious no? Moreover you are from Andromeda, I am from Earth, you are like forever young - a handsome hunk, I am a fat old rag doll - there's no match...
BC: So you mean to say we are not even perfect for each other?
Me: You are perfect, I am not...(giving a bright smile)...never mind, we can always flirt...(looking around) where do you sleep by the way?
BC: Oh I'd love to take you there, but you see, it's in a different dimension...we need to change the frequency, and I am afraid the human body is not very well adapted...
We laugh aloud as he leads me out of the tiny ticket room and we step out in the rain...hand in hand...

There are a lot of options that can act as substitutes...rain, my memories, my imagination...