The First Date

her: so you’ve met.
him: the hard part’s over.
her: now the problems begin.
him: did she give you her number? did you give her yours?
her: only take his number if you’re never going to call.
him: it’s a 72 hour wait before you make the call.
her: everyone knows this.
him: the three day cut off.
her: everyone knows this.
him: too soon, too keen, too long, she’s gone.
her: the first move.
him: who makes the phone call?
her: it matters.
him: who takes the phone call?
her: i’m telling you,
him: it matters.
her: take the call or send to voicemail?
him: is she looking at those foreign digits, considering.
her: always take his number.
him: is she expecting this?
her: that way you can avoid the call.
him: catch her off balance, catch her off guard. Catch her rushed, flushed, catch her when she least expects it.
her: always be sure of yourself when you take the call.
him: never leave a message.
her: straighten your hair, position yourself, allow two more rings than necessary.
him: timing is important.
her: timing is everything.
him: late morning, acceptable,
her: early evening, preferable,
him: avoid post lunch slump, and pre-snack grump.
her: put him on the back foot.
him: stay forward.
her: enable call-waiting.
him: hold the high ground.

her: And when you answer the phone when you meant to switch it off and you scramble for that voice, mind spinning as to who this boy is, for what you said to him to make him call so perfectly placed within the 72 hour window, and when your voice slips at his laugh and you make a high pitched squeaking sound because you smoked too long last night and you hold the air tightly in your chest and you look at yourself, quickly, in your mirror, your pocket mirror, and you say to yourself, I am who I wish to be.