YOU:
I GOT YOUR NOTE AND I’M PRETTY SURE I KNOW
WHAT YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY, YOU “JUST
NEED SOME TIME TO THINK.” SO YOU’RE STILL
NOT TALKING TO ME.
IS THIS SOME KIND OF HIDDEN “PRIDE AND
PREJUDICE” THING GOING ON LIKE IN BETWEEN
THE LINES? AM I SUPPOSED TO BE MR. DARCY
OR SOMETHING? BECAUSE I’M PRETTY SURE I’M
A HECK OF A LOT FUNNIER THAN MR. DARCY. (I
WOULD ALSO ADD THAT I’M BETTER LOOKING
THAN HIM BUT I HAVEN’T SEEN A PICTURE OF THE
GUY AND I’M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT YOUR
TYPE IS.)
I KNOW THIS ISN’T A “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST”
THING BECAUSE NEITHER ONE OF US IS A BEAST.
I KNOW THIS ISN’T A “WUTHERING HEIGHTS”
THING BECAUSE IF I HAD SOMEHOW
ACCIDENTALLY WANDERED INTO SUCH A SCENE
I’D LIKELY BE MUNCHING ON S’MORES AND
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CLEARLY OUT OF PLACE AS I WOULD ASK ANY
AND ALL PASSERS BY WHERE THE NEAREST EXIT
TO THAT STORY IS. “UMMM . . . EXCUSE ME...
HOW DO I GET OUT OF HERE? I MEAN, CLEARLY,
I’M OUT OF PLACE HERE. IN FACT, I DON’T EVEN
KNOW HOW I GOT HERE.”
AND WITH THE STRANGE LOOKS I WOULD GET
FROM OTHERS ACCUSTOMED TO BEING IN THAT
STORY I WOULD HAVE TO DEFEND MYSELF BY
QUICKLY ADDING, “I’M NOT DRUNK, OKAY? I JUST
WANT TO KNOW HOW TO GET OUT OF HERE.”
AND THE STRANGE LOOKS WOULD CONTINUE AND
PEOPLE WOULD PROBABLY JUST RUN AWAY
LEAVING ME STUCK IN THIS STORY OF MISERY
AND HEARTACHE.
(MAYBE I SHOULD BE CAREFUL WHAT I WRITE
HERE SO I DON’T CONSEQUENTLY FIND MYSELF IN
SOMETHING MORE LIKE A BROTHER’S GRIMM
TALE.)
AT ANY RATE, I KIND OF FEEL LOST IN A STORY
WHERE I’M PRETTY SURE I SHOULD KNOW THE
PLOT BUT YOUR SILENCE CAUSES IT TO ELUDE
ME. IF YOU WANT TO TALK, YOU CAN FIND ME AT
LUNCH BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO IF YOU DON’T
WANT TO.
LATER,
ME
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MAY 13
YOU:
HOW ARE YOU? OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW THAT WE
HAVEN’T TALKED IN AWHILE BUT I GOT YOUR
THANK YOU NOTE FOR THE PLATE OF COOKIES I
BROUGHT FOR YOU AND YOUR GIRLFRIENDS AT
LUNCH.
IT SEEMS LIKE MAYBE YOU WON’T BE SITTING
WITH ME AT LUNCH ANYMORE AND I CAN HANDLE
THAT (AFTER ALL, IT’S BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE
WE’VE EATEN TOGETHER ALTHOUGH I PREFER WE
STILL ATE AS FRIENDS). I DON’T WANT TO BE A
THIRD WHEEL WITH YOU AND YOUR GIRLFRIENDS
SO I’VE DECIDED TO SIT WITH THE GUYS I’M
STUDYING SCIENCE WITH.
BUT IF YOU EVER WANT TO JUST HANG OUT
AFTER SCHOOL SOMETIME, YOU KNOW HOW TO
REACH ME.
HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY TODAY!
LATER,
ME
181
MAY 17
YOU:
I WAS SURPRISED TO GET YOUR NOTE
YESTERDAY. AM I ANGRY WITH YOU? NOT AT ALL.
IF YOU DON’T WANT TO TALK WITH ME, IT’S A
FREE COUNTRY SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO. YOU
ALSO ASKED “DOES IT SEEM STRANGE THAT I
LIKE SOME SECRET ADMIRER I’VE NEVER MET?”
NOT REALLY.
YOU LIKE THIS SECRET ADMIRER GUY BECAUSE
APPARENTLY SOMETHING IN HIS NOTES REALLY
“CLICKS” WITH YOU. BUT MAYBE HE STOPPED
WRITING YOU AS A SECRET ADMIRER BECAUSE
HE’S A DECENT GUY THAT DOESN’T WANT THIS TO
BE LIKE THOSE CREEPY GUYS ON THE INTERNET
THAT APPROACH YOU ONLINE (RED FLAG #1) AND
HAVE ALL OF THESE NICE THINGS TO SAY TO YOU,
ALL OF THESE ROMANTIC THINGS (RED FLAG #2)
AND THEN THEY CONVINCE YOU THAT MEETING
THEM FACE TO FACE IS A SAFE IDEA EVEN
THOUGH THEIR MAIN GOAL IS TO EVENTUALLY GET
YOU TOTALLY ALONE WITH THEM – LEADING YOU
AWAY FROM ANY PUBLIC PLACE SO NO ONE ELSE
SEES WHAT THEY ARE ABOUT TO DO TO YOU (RED
FLAG #3) SINCE THEY ULTIMATELY TURN OUT TO
BE VIOLENT CRIMINALS THAT KIDNAP YOU, RAPE
OR KILL YOU.
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SO JUST STICK TO ASSOCIATING WITH REAL
GOOD GUYS THAT DON'T TRY TO LURE YOU TO BE
ALONE WITH THEM TO HARM YOU. YOUR
INTUITION WOULD GIVE YOU A BAD FEELING THAT
MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT WHERE A
BAD GUY IS LEADING YOU. LISTEN TO AND
FOLLOW YOUR INTUITION MORE THAN WHAT THEY
SAY TO YOU AND YOU'LL HAVE BETTER CHANCES
FOR STAYING SAFE.
YOU KNOW THAT I KNOW WHO YOUR SECRET
ADMIRER REALLY IS. SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT
HE’S NOT A CREEP BUT HE IS ACTUALLY A REALLY
GOOD GUY. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT HE WANTS
TO HAVE A LESS SECRETIVE SIDE TO THE WHOLE
GETTING-TO-KNOW YOU COURTSHIP THING.
IN OTHER WORDS, I THINK HE FIGURED THAT HE
NEEDS TO BE LESS SECRETIVE WITH HIS NOTES
TO YOU SO THAT MAYBE YOU’LL LIKE HIM FOR
WHO HE REALLY IS WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE
SECRET, ROMANTIC NOTES BEING SLIPPED INTO
WHAT SHOULD BE THE PRIVACY OF YOUR
LOCKER. (I MEAN, REALLY. WHAT IN THE WORLD IS
SOMEBODY ELSE DOING IN YOUR LOCKER? THAT
REALLY ISN’T A “NORMAL” WAY TO COURT
SOMEONE.)
BUT YOU CAN LIKE WHOMEVER YOU WANT AND
YOU CAN BE MY FRIEND OR NOT. (OR BE MORE
THAN MY FRIEND AS THE DATING OFFER STILL
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STANDS. I’D STILL LIKE TO TAKE YOU TO DINNER
SOMETIME – IF YOU WON’T STAND ME UP THIS
TIME.)
JUST THINK ABOUT IT. HE’S A GOOD GUY THAT’S
TRYING TO BE LESS CREEPY IN HOW HE PURSUES
POSSIBLY DATING YOU MORE “OUT IN THE OPEN.”
AND I STILL WOULD LIKE TO TAKE YOU OUT ON A
DATE SOMETIME.
LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.
LATER,
ME
184
MAY 21
YOU:
I GIVE UP. I’M GOING TO TALK TO HIM AND SEE IF
I CAN PERSUADE HIM TO TELL YOU WHO HE IS.
JUST REMEMBER. YOU’RE THE ONE THAT WANTED
TO KNOW. YOU’RE THE ONE THAT PUSHED HIM TO
TELL YOU. SO IF YOU DON’T LIKE WHAT YOU SEE
– IF HE TELLS YOU – THEN IT WON’T BE ALL HIS
FAULT. AND IF YOU FIND THAT HE’S NOT THE
PERSON YOU HAD HOPED FOR . . . PLEASE LET
HIM DOWN EASY.
LATER,
ME
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[ Last anonymous note put in your locker.]
May 27
I understand you want to meet me face to face and
know once and for all who I am.
Your wish will be granted.
Meet me at Venus Park across from the fountain this
Thursday May 30th at 4 pm and I’ll be there with a
heart that beats just for you. It's a public park so there
should be plenty of other people there if you have any
safety concerns (as most smart girls like yourself
wisely do).
I’ll be wearing a purple shirt, a black n white checkered
tie, dark jeans and black and white checkered tennis
shoes and there will be a very large sign of my love for
you. (Don’t worry. I usually dress much better at
school. I just want to make sure my outfit is unique
enough so you know you’re meeting the right guy.
Plus my black-n-white checkered clothes will match
your super cool Alex Opalstone back pack.)
Love,
Your Secret Admirer
…Bleating out light filled with…
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[You go to Venus Park and look for him across from
the fountain. Several other people are there. Some
people are throwing Frisbees and walking dogs.
Others are having a picnic. As you stand there looking
around for him, suddenly you see a large twenty foot
wide canvas poster drop down like a large scroll
opening to reveal a message with large print that
cascades down at least thirty feet. The print is being
typed live and projected onto the screen in real time. It
reads:]
May 30
“Simply Because”
Come with me and I’ll show you night skies of
Stars that grow the reddest roses
Their long stems of light
Dipping their fragrant petals that bloom and grow
Into earth’s gravity they gently flow
While spilling earthbound bulbs of fire into the night
I’m being careful to avoid the thorny paths of lust
Fearing to awaken within you
The lion that slumbers in your soul
Roaring out power greater than
A stormy ocean out of control
Only for it to switch places
With the lamb awakening within my own
Bleating out light
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Filled with songs of peace we’d once known
Being reborn between the mountain of your virtue
And the lake of your love
I’ll watch for the snowfall of our start
To melt into the replenishment
For the reservoirs of my heart
Will nourish the growing timbers of tenderness
That steep themselves in the
Heaven sent rains of peace and light
Throughout the forest of our love
As birds sing a celebratory chorus by flight
Sometimes the world within my heart is
As a volcano that shoots out
The whitest light
Spilling lava that freezes
Into a sea of glass
That receives the suns rays
Translating the bright white into sparkling colors of
the rainbow
For more heavenly days
And yet sometimes my soul
Peers out of the window to watch
As the stars shimmer across the ocean in the night
The two worlds blend
Sinking the light of the stars to swim
Through the ocean deep
Awakening a part of my soul
Once buried by sleep
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Passing swimming stars reveal the liquid purple fire
That hides in the black coral reef
Not far from the glowing fluorescent mists
That court a new belief
That the shadows in the seas of a night ruled by lust
Drown out every lightning rod of righteous desire
So I must use all of my brawn
Along with prayerful help from heaven’s love
To draw the stars back to their proper places in the
night sky above
Long before the last night wind
Ushers in the dawn.
Come with me and I’ll show you all of this
A preliminary to what may be our first kiss
But only if this is what you truly wish
But all of these written imaginations
Cannot compare to the wondrous, beautiful reality of
creation
When God created you
Because your beauty like the fire
purifies my every desire
In the flickering of your flame
Drives within me my rush to tame
The lion of my lust
For your loveliness is indeed worthy
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Even the worth of your very soul so great
The Lamb of Love shields you and guards you
with the most unbreakable breastplate heaven has to
offer
From the highest treasures of its protective coffers
Yes – Your body, your face, your eyes
Are picture perfect brought to life
That will grace the heart and soul
Of the man who someday you give the privileged
honor
To call you his beloved wife
Yes, I repeat
With every heartbeat
Your body, your face, your eyes
Are picture perfect brought to life
That will grace the heart and soul
Of the man who someday you give the privileged
honor
To call you his beloved wife
And in the depths of these my feelings
The question my heart keeps beating is
Will you say “I do”
Feel enough of the same for me
And all of this
Even without a first kiss
Simply because
I love you?
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