Nelle takes her date to her office and gives him permission to talk to her for five minutes while she catches up on paperwork. She and the guy banter mock-angrily for several minutes so that they can set up the requisite sexually tense atmosphere. Nelle finally gives the guy a quick hug and a peck on the lips so he can get his six thousand dollars' worth. The guy sympathizes with Nelle for having an intimacy disorder. She hotly denies it, and then of course kisses him to prove that he's wrong. Then he tells her that intimacy is about receiving, not giving. I think he's thinking of the spirit of Christmas, actually, but it doesn't matter because the ploy works. Nelle commands him to kiss her. So they kiss, with tongue, and Nelle doesn't seem annoyed at all this time. I've learned something tonight from this show and the preceding episode of Boston Public: pretty women can be smart, but they can never be as smart as the pretty men who want to bed them.

Three hours later, Nelle and her date are still on their date, which is now taking place at the bar. Nelle has blown off work and is having "primal feelings." She wonders aloud if her date is dying or something, because she has a "rush" that he's living like there's no tomorrow. Or something. The guy, whose name I have yet to hear, asks how she'd want to spend the evening if she knew it would be the last time she ever saw him. Nelle grabs his head and lays another kiss on him. Well, that's nice. You two young people enjoy yourselves.

Still later, Nelle surprises Ling with the news that she and Date Boy had sex. Remember that Nelle has recently been saying that sex is icky. Considering that she was dating John, who can blame her? Who wants to be visualized as Barry White during sex? (Besides Barry White, I mean.) Now Nelle's all glowing and giggly, though. That is, she's glowing as much as she can in her ugly dress, and without proper nourishment. Richard runs in and begs Ling to help him. His auction date, Paul, wants to take him to The Bar that night. I guess Paul heard that every other person in Boston, including Tina Turner when she's in town, goes to The Bar, and he wanted in on it. Did I mention that Ling is also wearing an ugly '70s print halter dress in this scene? Richard complains that Paul finds him "special." Ling ignores him and yells, "Are you falling in love?" at Nelle. Nelle smirks and Richard exits in exasperation.