When the narrator returns home from work, he finds that the girl has matured. He feels sad and sorry for her. He asks her to have a drink with him, but she refuses, saying that she has some work to do. He tells her that he has missed her, and that he wants to try again. He says that he will be back soon to see if she is "overly idealistic" . She has ambition, he says, and she sets the bar too high. The narrator says that even if they were to get together, they would not be the same people they were before they had romanticized their memories. He realizes that his love for her is shallow, and he feels guilty for thinking of her as such. He wonders why he feels so guilty when he thinks of her. She inspires others to work harder, he thinks, and her attitude inspires others.