ice cream is nice cream: blurbs... about meetings, expectation and intent

blurbs... about meetings, expectation and intent

...this morning's stream of consciousness... (they don't go together. they just represent little scenes.)

"Did you sleep well?" you asked when I came into the kitchen, still yawning and bleary.

"Fine," I lied.

"Coffee?" you asked.

"Yes please," I said, reaching for the steaming cup you held out. "I really need it."

Truer words were never spoken between us.

We shook hands. Nervous. Sweaty. A bit of shaky shaking.

It was much easier to meet online where physicality did not intrude.

But then, we found our common ground. Here. For real. And we laughed together and we heard each other's laugh. For real.

I had all of my very best anecdotes at hand. Prepared wit. And a jaunty and self-assured smile, practiced, to go along with it.

I was not ready for your openness and candor.

It stripped me bare left me wordless.

You thought I was really boring. I'm not really. I just thought you'd be more fake.

I arrived, late and out of breath.

I handed you the wine bottle and you nodded and smiled at me, not smiling.

That night was awkward. Full of pauses. The elephant squashed the air out of our lungs. He took up even the smallest spaces.

We had no words.

A girl with glowing skin and a shiny brown pony tail sat in front of me on the tram.

Her pony tail swished back and forth, silky and flowing.

I realized I had scissors in my purse.

I heard the bell of the ice cream truck coming.

My heart made a "pitter patter" of anticipation, but I am on a diet.

So I just remembered its creaminess, wistfully.

In the park, a little girl mistook me for her mother.

She ran towards my legs and joyously wrapped her arms around them.

For a second, a whisper... I pretended she was mine.