the optimist online date

i ask my new girlfriend

to come over

for dinner.

she doesn't know that yet,

so mums the word.

i bought her a ring

and flowers.

i text her twenty times

a day

and write three page emails

telling her the story of my life

which truthfully isn't all that

exciting since i got out of prison.

sometimes i ride by her

house a few times,

slowing down to see if

i can catch a glimpse of her

in her ninth floor apartment

window.

i'll drop off a poem or two

with the doorman

to give to her, which

i hope he doesn't throw away,

or give to his own sweetie.

we've only met once,

which lasted about six minutes

because she suddenly

got an emergency call on

her phone. i mean who hasn't

accidentally left the iron on.

but it was a wonderful

time together. shame she

had to leave before

the waiter came to the table.

i could see by the way

she scurried out of

the restaurant that she's

athletic, i am too. 

and a great driver, i saw

the way her car swerved out

of the parking lot at a high

speed. impressive. we are

so alike in so many ways.

i'm just waiting now

for confirmation on our

dinner date.

i've already set the table.

lit the candles

and poured the wine.

i even changed the sheets

on the bed.

call me an optimist.