Stick Matches

by Gareth Edel

I ask, "Did you enjoy that?"

"Sure."

"Have I made you blush?"

"A little."

"Then my job is done, I have made the rose bloom a little. That rosy bloom of flowering cheeks is signaling spring in your heart and with such warmth, no sorrowful frost can weigh upon your heart and countenance."

"Why do you say such things?"

"You are a pleasure, my mind was wearied with pounding realities, and you alleviate the burden of Sisyphus with your... smile. Besides using stick matches instead of my lighter, is what I blame for the poetical style of the night.... the bourbon helps too."

She replies "I know you mean nothing by this but hearing this sort of stuff makes me wish I actually had someone that said sappy stuff and meant it... whom I would wish to be with."

"You mean you want love as we all do, and I will say honestly with a sad heart that I frown that I have made you feel loneliness' thorn. I speak from base affection and admiration not from poetic love. I wish that you had it, I wish that it had alighted on you as a dew."

"You haven't made me sad. Just made me think about something. A guy."

"Ah, some gallant lad who fails the challenge of a chivalrous knight, the winning of a ladies favor and the freedom of her heart. Has he offended thee? Or still sadly of some fumbling or friendship laden?"

"He's a great guy. A lot of what I want in a guy. He wants more then friendship and I don't want to lose him as a friend in case things fall apart... but.... we kissed this weekend. He caught me off guard! He sneaked the kiss." (she said this with a look in her eye, and for my money a 'she doth protest too much glint')

"Damn him, the blackguard, I shall challenge him to a duel."

"That isn't necessary (said with a laugh). Maybe it's just me trying to figure out why I don't want to be with a person that theoretically is great for me."

"I say that either friendship or love should allot no shame to admitting confusion..."

"I worry that I will lose yet another friend... but hell, you just made me realize if they only want me in one way, they really aren't my friends."

"I should just become a nun."

"Get thee to a nunnery, but I warn you chastity is over rated, despite its being a component of the asceticism that leads to Gnostic revelation and to enlightenment for some, it can be a drag on a Saturday night... Even I tally in the garden of earthly delight sometimes. Although I admit, infrequently."

"Well, good, you are allowed to...but sex isn't that important, I just want some real feeling... but you are my last hope when it comes to guys and their hormones...."

"Yes hormones. We all have them, but they do not rule me as they do many. They are instead simply one of many things that keep me confused. But they are just part of everyone, no more then they are of girls are they of boys."

"Heh, well at least we know we're not easy."

"Speak for yourself, I disagree, if the right person came along I would be easy... I just realize that I need to wait for the right people, makes me wiser but no less horny then others"

So to be honest, I discovered no truth about the human condition, but considering She was a prostitute I think it was an interesting conversation. Okay I admit it she wasn't a prostitute but it would have been funny if she was.