Warp-Speed Dating.
Synopsis: Unashamed nerd Becky ventures into a strange new world of dating. What alien life-forms will she encounter?
Prompts
Genre: Romantic comedy
Theme: Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Emotion: Elated
I take a deep breath, yank open the door
To boldly go where I’ve not been before.
To a strange new world, to seek out new life,
New life, that is, for this nervous ex-wife.
To tables, chatter, drinking and rating,
To a bustling bar, prepped for speed dating.
My sister had said, “It’s time!” on the phone.
“Hmmm,” I replied from my comfort zone.
“It’s a year!” she’d added, “since your divorce.”
“Weeell,” I replied. She was right, of course.
“Barry’s moved on. What about you?” she said.
“Fine, then!” I replied, my cheeks flushing red.
“At last!” she declared, “I’m glad you agreed.
I’ve emailed a ticket. For dating. At speed!”
But I look around now, faint hopes sinking,
knot in my stomach. What was I thinking?!
I’m not ready for this. It’s not my thing.
I still finger my absent wedding ring.
Still wince at the marriage that slipped away,
How we drifted apart, nothing to say.
No anger, no affairs, no “I hate you, Becky!”
We faded, me and my fellow Trekkie.
“Come in,” says the hostess, guiding me in,
Handing a badge and score cards to fill in.
It takes three goes to pin badge to lapel,
Then a bell sounds, ringing like a death knell.
Here we go, I guess. I must be potty!
Mouth dry, I whisper, “Beam me up, Scotty!”
First up: Gavin. Not much of a talker.
Then came David. The look of a stalker.
Still, better than Ray, who upped the ante:
think fava beans, and a nice chianti.
Next up, Steve. On his t-shirt: Han Solo.
A Star Wars fan? That’s an instant no-no.
After Steve, Abdul, who spoke to my chest,
followed by Wayne in a sleeveless vest.
Stu had the muscles of a superhero,
But nothing up top. I marked him zero.
A generous five for a teacher, Ben.
Then four to Matthew (who thought he was ten).
Tony seemed nice, just a little anal.
Michael played footsie under the table.
Chet wore a red cap. Need I say any more?
I think to myself, why even keep score?
Then to my relief, the last-but-one bell,
Marking the end to an evening from hell.
Head in my hands as my last date arrives,
I’m sure that tonight has given me hives.
Just one more to go. So, how will he blow it?
“It’s life, Jim,” he says, “but not as we know it.”
The knot in my gut turns to a flutter.
As I look up, I stumble and stutter,
“B-Barry?” I frown, then can’t help but smirk.
He’s so out of place, the Spock to my Kirk.
Barry grins back, finding it comical.
“Hmmm,” he says, “It’s highly illogical.”
“How have you been?” I ask, catching his eye.
“Oh, you know,” he says, and shrugs with a sigh.
Silence falls. We exchange looks of sadness.
Poignant calm in the speed-dating madness.
“I’ve been…,” he says, cut off, the bell ringing,
“I’ve been…,” he says, again with the dinging.
We smile and wait for a second or two.
“You’ve been?” I inquire. He says, “Missing you.”
What should I say, when I’ve missed him as well?
Our eyes meet, dilated. I think he can tell.
My Spock then lists all the things he misses.
From road trips to chats doing the dishes.
From watching Star Treks, the old and the new.
From big things to small, just stuff that we’d do.
“If I asked for a slow date, Beck, would you go?”
Surveying the planet, I say, “Make it so.”