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By wistful Date: 2001 Aug 25 Comment on this Work [[2001.08.25.03.17.1640]] |
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The phone rang right at the end of the ninth inning, bases loaded. He picked it up just to stop it from ringing. "Uhh . . . hello?" he mumbled vaguely. His team was down by four, but their biggest hitter was up at bat. Ball one. That's it, wait for the good ones . . . "Hi. It's me." He pulled the phone back quickly from his ear. Angela's voice came booming across the line. Keith sighed. It was never a good sign when she was that loud. "Hey Ang. What's up?" , Keith asked apprehensively. "Well, it's over. We broke up today". Angela spit the words out briskly, in that business-like way she always announced emotional topics. Ball two. Careful! The batter almost swung at that one, and it was nowhere near the plate. Keith's eyes rolled up briefly to the ceiling as he searched his brain for the name of Angie's latest flame. "Oh no. What happened?" Generic sympathy was best, while he recalled the details of the relationship in question. Angela had been his friend since college. It was odd that their relationship had never been even slightly romantic. She was bright, funny, and good-looking, and had said as much about him. But, for whatever reason, Angela had always been like a sister to Keith. And sometimes, a very annoying one. "Well, you know things have been rocky with Steve for a while now," she began. Strike one! The home crowd cheered the pitcher on. Keith hissed between his teeth. Angela's voice tightened. "Sorry, are you busy now? Should I call back later with my personal tragedy?" Keith fumbled for the remote and hit mute. "Sorry. You have my full attention. Go on." Steve. Steve? Steve! That's right. He met Steve at that picnic for Sue's birthday. Mellow, funny; basically, a nice guy. At least that's how he came across. How could things have been rocky 'for a while'? She had only met him a couple of months ago. "Thanks. Anyway, this week was the final straw. He didn't even call me once!" "Ooo, the ultimate snub. And you didn't call him either?" "First of all, that's not the point. I'm supposed to be his girlfriend, for God's sake! But, in point of fact, I did call him. Twice, actually. And he never called back. And he didn't reply to my emails either." Was that a ball? It was close. He missed the ump's ruling reaching for his beer. Maybe he could turn the volume up a bit . . . "Maybe he's been busy", Keith muttered soothingly. Ah, there's the count. Damn! Another strike. "You know, with work or something." "Like he doesn't have a minute to call? Oh my God, listen to me, I sound just like my mother! But still, it's true. Anyway, I know he had time to check his email, because I got the 'message read' confirmation. And don't say 'you shouldn't e-spy on your friends'. I wanted to know. But he never replied! He just doesn't care like I do . . ." Angela's voice cracked on these last words. Uh-oh, her wall is breaking, Keith thought. She's gonna blow any minute. . . "So what reason did Steve give for not calling?" Keith asked, taking a slug of his beer. He leaned forward to catch the next pitch. Ball three! Man, this was getting intense. "Say? He didn't say anything! The man is completely infuriating!" Okay, now he was just confused. "What do you mean, he didn't say anything? Didn't he defend himself at all when you guys fought?" "Fight? Who said anything about a fight?" He leaned back on the couch, mentally reviewing the conversation. "Wait. You said you broke up today. You mean to tell me you broke up in a completely calm, civilized manner? That would be a first!" Angela was silent for a moment. "Well, actually, we haven't really talked about it at all," she admitted in sullen tones. "But you said you broke up." The wind up . . . the pitch . . . Strike three! Game over. Shit. "Well, we did break up," she affirmed indignantly. "He just doesn't know it yet." He threw his hand in the air, as much frustrated by the game as by her logic. "So you had a stealth breakup? I imagine he'll be very upset, if he ever finds out." Angela was significantly silent. "Sorry, Ang. I know you're hurting." Keith changed tack. "He must be scum, to give you such pain. Good for you for dumping him." She sighed, slightly appeased. "Anyway, what was I thinking? He unrolls the toilet paper from the bottom instead of the top. It never would have worked out . . ." |