by Lonz Cook
Tiffany retrieved the broach and placed it on counter in front of him.
“It’s for my mother.” He picked up the broach and cradled it in his right hand.
“Is it for a special occasion?”
“It’s her birthday. Do you think she’d like it?”
“Well, ahh,” Tiffany paused looking at her customer, “Let me show you something else.” She walked over to the next case, leaned down and pulled out a necklace with a cameo pendant. “This is a classy piece. You can’t go wrong with something like this.”
He put the seahorse down and took up the cameo, holding it by the chain allowing the pendant to swing. “I like it…it’s nicer than the seahorse.”
Tiffany focused on his appearance and features. He wasn’t the best looking man, nor was he her usual type. “Would you like it in a gift bag?”
“Sure, that would be nice.”
Tiffany walked to the cash register, entered the transaction and shared the total price with him. She took his credit card, swiped it then returned it along with his receipt.
He smiled, “I think she’s going to love it.”
Tiffany turned to the cabinet behind the cash register with the boxed necklace in her hand. She pulled out a small decorative bag, placed the boxed necklace into it and returned to the customer, “There’s a free gift card that comes along with it. Would a small one do or do you need a larger one?”
“A small one will do, thank you.” He smiled.
Tiffany dropped the card in the bag and handed it to him, “It’s very thoughtful giving your mom such a lovely gift.”
“Thank you. She’s a great lady and deserves a lot more.”
“When are you giving it to her?”
“Well, her birthday is next week, but I’m going to surprise her tomorrow at dinner.”
Tiffany placed her hand of her heart, “That’s so sweet,” she said. Here is a nice man and worth getting to know. She looked into his eyes, “By the way I’m Tiffany,” she extended her hand.
He took Tiffany’s hand and shook it, “I’m Ralph. Nice to meet you.”
“Are you seeing someone, Ralph?”
He released her hand, “I’m not at the moment but I’m…,” he looked at the floor and answered, “…always looking.”
“Maybe we can get together for coffee.”
“That would be nice,” Ralph blushed.
“Let me give you my number.” Tiffany took a blank gift card, wrote her name and number on it then handed it to Ralph. She watched him read it. “Call me,” she smiled.
“Okay I will,” Ralph put the card in his pocket and walked away from the counter without looking back.
Tiffany watched him leave.
***
Tiffany arrived at her apartment a little before 9 p.m., opened the door and dropped her things on the kitchen counter. She walked to her bedroom to change into comfortable sweats, returned to the kitchen, grabbing a can of soda from the fridge before booting her laptop. When the screen opened, there was a message waiting in an IM box from a guy she had met in a chat room. The message read:
You impressed me with your humor. I wish we could chat alone.
Tiffany didn’t respond right away. She was trying to remember this person and went back to the saved chat room conversation to jog her memory. She soon realized it would be too time consuming to find their chat history. Throwing caution to the wind she responded:
Hey, I’m sorry I don’t remember you. Remind me who you are.
While she waited for his response, Tiffany went to one of her dating sites and saw multiple emails. She filtered them by scanning for intriguing phrases in the subject line. No, she thought as she deleted one after the other. Nice, she smiled as she read the subject line, Hi, I’m not good at this. To her it read humble and sincere. She clicked on the email to expand it and saw the screen name “Lost Sailor.” His message read hopeful, not desperate.
This is new to me. I read your profile and found you interesting. That’s why I took the chance to write you. Aren’t you tired of empty conversations? If you are interested or if you’re so inclined, drop me a line and open a chat.
Manny
Chapter 8
Manny clicked send after reviewing his email a fourth time. I can’t believe I’m sending a total stranger an email. I hope I didn’t sound stupid. If she responds - good; if not, oh, well.
Suzie finished cleaning the kitchen and saw Manny staring at the screen. “Is everything okay?” she asked while taking a position behind Manny.
“I sent an email.”
“It’ll be fine Dad. Tell me, how does she look?”
“Very pretty. Well at least to me.”
“Let me see, pull her up.” Suzie watched San Fran Pearl’s profile flash onto the screen. She read the profile description. “San Francisco? Are you gonna go see her?”
“What makes you think I will or that I’ll even get the chance?”
“Come on Dad, I know women. As soon as she reads your profile she’ll be interested.”
“I don’t know, just look at her. I bet she gets hundreds of emails a day.”
“Dad, soon you’ll get hundreds of emails too. Why did you write her?
“Look how beautiful she is, and her description doesn’t read crazy.”
“Don’t write again until you hear from her, okay, Dad?”
“Isn’t it normal to wait for an answer?”
“Yes, but sometimes you can be impatient. I don’t want you looking desperate.”
“Desperate. Are you kidding?”
“I’m not kidding, Dad. Be patient. Wait for her response”
Chapter 9
Tiffany read Manny’s email a second time, looked at his profile and liked what she saw. She examined his face, the rugged look, his full inviting lips and seductive brown eyes. Manny’s body invited her to imagine running her hands down his chest, feeling the muscles then circling his nipples with her fingers, just before touching her lips to them. She looked at his abs and took a breath before smiling. “Oh my,” she said, “I wonder what’s hidden in those shorts.” She liked the idea of this hot guy writing her in spite of the distance between them. Tiffany remembered he lived in Miami from reading his profile, which for her was a major concern.
She wrote to Manny. Thanks for the kind email. I’m not sure about starting a long distance relationship, but I’d love to just chat one day. I’m sure you’re interesting.
I hope he’ll understand. Tiffany read other emails and checked out profiles. She responded to every local person that piqued her interest and made comments or ‘winked’ in response. She had high hopes for responses. Tiffany read and wrote emails for hours. She found many interesting people but one profile in particular caught her attention. The headline read;
Sensible, Fun, Admirable, Give a shout and see for yourself.
His profile picture revealed a handsome man with a metrosexual-styled haircut. At least he’s not some shirtless guy with a beer gut. She read the rest of his profile. This could be the one and he’s local. She sent him an email.
Hi, I’m from San Fran too and would like to get to know you. I like your picture. Drop me a line.
She sent her email and noticed a new one in her inbox. She clicked on the link to open it and her first reaction was pleasant surprise. It was a response from Lost Sailor. She smiled as she read:
I agree, I’m not looking for a long distance relationship either. But I have to admit, you seem interesting. While I was in the Navy, I visited your city and loved it. It was such a beautiful place. I only got to see downtown and its famous pier, but I’ve heard other parts are just as nice. I’ll get there again one day and if I’m lucky, you’ll give me a tour. I’d like to chat with you and see if we have common interests. Who knows, we may become the best of friends.
She smiled as she wrote:
Distant Friends as a headline to her response.
Tha
nks for getting back to me. I agree with you, a long-distance relationship isn’t ideal. But a friend is always welcomed. At least we realize it’s all we can offer, because dating would be difficult. I’d love to chat soon and read your thoughts on dating. Thanks for understanding.
Tiffany clicked send with a reflection, The one guy who seems genuinely nice is over a thousand miles away
Chapter 10
If San Fran Pearl responds to the second email, I might do be better dating online than in person, Manny chuckled. When he was on his ship, during his off hours, he used the network for training and games. Now, he was starting to feel the web would offer him a chance to discover new opportunities. Before long he had three emails from different women, including one from his new interest ‘San Fran Pearl.’ He read San Fran Pearl’s response first. Intrigued by her headline, Manny wrote;
I want to send you my Instant Messenger ID so that anytime you see me online, feel free to drop me a note. I look forward to chatting with you.
Shortly after sending the email, he turned to Suzie. “She responded,” he said, smiling, “And she said she’d like to become friends. But hey, that’s a start.”
“Yes it is. But remember to be patient, or you’ll scare her away. Take it slow.”
“We’re only talking friendship. What choice do I have?”
“Come on Dad, I know you. You can go from zero to 60 in three seconds.”
“Good point kid, good point.”
Chapter 11
Tiffany was surprised by Manny’s fast response. She didn’t expect another email from him after explaining her feelings about long distance relationships. It’s nice of him to invite me for a chat. It’s only a conversation. It can’t go anywhere; he’s too far away. Miami isn’t around the corner. She sighed as she wrote:
It’s a charming invitation, and I’ll keep it in mind. If you see I’m online, please feel free to IM me.
Immediately after she pressed send, doubt surfaced. Why did I tell him to write? It’s just chatting or an email, no harm either way. Tiffany closed the window and opened a different site. She continued looking through profiles. She found a chat room and joined in on the conversation. Long into the discussion she received a personal chat invitation from Blue Dragon, a member of the chat group:
I find your comments thought provoking. Please join me in a private chat so I can get to know you better.
Typically, Tiffany avoided private invitations but, for some reason, she agreed. “OK,” she responded and clicked on the flashing invite.
Bluedragon: Sometimes these chat rooms are filled with despicable people.
SanFranPearl: I ignore those folks and only respond to comments like yours.
My favorite comments are the blatant propositions, like Hey Baby, why don’t you lick my pole while I kiss your kitty lips. I mean, gosh, is sex the only thing they like discussing online?
Bluedragon: That chat did seem vulgar, and I’m glad we left before it got really out of hand. What other chat rooms do you visit? Have we crossed paths before?
SanFranPearl: I’m not sure if we have; I‘m pretty new at this.
Bluedragon: I thought this site was good until a few goofballs entered the chat room. I usually talk about traveling or occasionally relationship stuff.
SanFranPearl: I love traveling. You talk about relationships? You must be married.
Bluedragon: Actually I am. It’s why I ask about it so often. I try to figure out how to interact with my wife. If it weren’t for women like you, I’d permanently live in the doghouse.
SanFranPearl: You know, I appreciate your honesty. I don’t usually chat with married men.
Bluedragon: I figure it’s better to share my status than mislead you. I’m not after you, San Fran Pearl, I’m here for conversation and friendship.
SanFranPearl: Doesn’t your wife mind you chatting so much online?
Bluedragon: Sometimes she does. But for me, this beats the heck out of watching television every night with her. I mean, how many shows can you watch for entertainment? I enjoy one on Wednesday night, but most of the time I just sit there.
SanFranPearl: Have you told her how you feel about her obsession with television?
Bluedragon: I have, but it’s ignored. I’ve learned not to fight about it and use this time to surf or chat on the Internet.
SanFranPearl: Well if you don’t find chats, what do you do?
Bluedragon: I look for things that might interest me. Like I found one website giving tips on how to repair home appliances and another one on home renovations. I watch training videos and visit travel sites. Those are my favorite. Did you know you can view a foreign city from a satellite camera from your laptop?
SanFranPearl: No, I didn’t.
Bluedragon: Here, use this link.’ He provided the Uinform Rresource Locator (URL) link to the webpage to Tiffany. She hesitated to click on it since the last time she did that on a link someone sent her it was a virus download. Tiffany wrote; don’t give me the link, just give me the site name, and I’ll look it up.
Bluedragon: You must have had a bad experience with a virus, LOL (Laugh Out Loud). It’s okay, I understand. He gave her the name of the website.
She googled it and saw his information was legit.
SanFranPearl: Sounds like a great site. You should take your wife to see some of these places.
Bluedragon: If I can ever get her away from her television shows, I may just do that.
SanFranPearl: Well, I’m sure you can persuade her. Just plan a trip and don’t share it with her until you have everything set. I admire men who take charge and do things for me without my input. You know, I’d give anything for a man to make me feel that special.
Bluedragon I’ve heard that from my wife who stays glued to that box.
SanFranPearl: Sounds to me like she’s waiting for you. Go for it and make sure you take lots of pictures.
Bluedragon: I will. I’ll keep you updated on my progress.
SanFranPearl: Sure, that will be great. It’s nice chatting with you.
Bluedragon: Same here, we’ll keep in touch. Thanks.
They closed their chat windows simultaneously. At least he was honest about being married. It’s sad a man with outside interest is stuck with a woman tied to a television set. Before she could type in another URL, a flash notification appeared announcing a new email from ‘Lost Sailor.’ She opened her email and selected the awaiting message.
Hi Again,
I recently had an interesting chat with someone and wanted to share it with you. So, I hope you don’t mind. It was the conversation from hell. I didn’t know people use these websites to be so vulgar and aggressive. Believe me, I’m no prude, but what happened to finesse? When did I miss dating turning into how fast can we get in bed? This woman made me appreciate the finer points of conversation. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
Manny
Tiffany smiled after reading Manny’s email. She just had the same conversation with Blue Dragon. She responded:
Manny,
It’s mind boggling we’re experiencing the same type of behavior. I left a chat room for that exact reason. The conversation went south and got dirty. It’s almost as if people want to live their fantasies online with total strangers. Maybe, that’s the attraction. Like you, I find it quite despicable.
As far as modern dating rituals, the race to get in bed isn’t anything new. Unfortunately finesse is a disappearing quality. You haven’t dated much lately have you?
Tiffany
Tiffany pressed send and returned to surfing the net. She found a favorite site and clicked ‘yes’, ‘like’, or ‘flirt’ on certain local profiles. Although she received invitations to chat, she decided to ignore them and turned in for the night.
Chapter 12
Manny woke at 6 am to his clock radio. He found a music station that got him moving out of bed and onto the floor for a set of push-ups and sit-ups. E
xercise had been his morning routine since retiring. Manny showered, dressed, packed his lunch, grabbed his gym bag, and left for work. His mornings ran like clockwork.
Driving to the factory, he felt rejuvenated from his morning routine and was thinking about his new experiences on the internet. It was much easier writing to women than making a cold approach on the street or in a nightclub. He enjoyed the mental stimulation but did not think much of the sexual overtones he encountered.
During a break he mentioned what he’d seen and read on the internet to a few co-workers, and told them how surprised he was as how women were as aggressive as men. The guys laughed as they too admitted to horror stories of their online experiences. One guy told of his catfish, or fake bitch, story where the woman was nothing near the beauty she professed to be. He had driven three hundred miles to a motel, excited for the chance to measure her oil level. Once at the motel, he’d set up the room with roses, a dozen lit candles and placed edible condoms in the shape of a heart on the center of the bed. He had stripped to his heart-print silk knickers and played his favorite country song while he sat in a chair waiting. He said he’d nearly given up two hours after their agreed rendezvous time and just before he blew out the candles, there was a knock at the door. He raced to the door and swung it open only to find a big guy with a long beard in a flower print dress standing there with a smile as big as the moon on his face. The crew busted out in loud laughter, some of them laughed so hard that they were nearly on the floor in tears. Manny shook his head. Being a retired sailor, he had experienced several cultures where women were aggressive, but mostly it was because of their social status or living environments. He didn’t believe that was the case in America, yet the Internet showed a different reality. He didn’t comprehend why so many women wanted to get into sexual conversations with total strangers.