Monday, November 14, 2011

Mondays with Martha

A thoughtful excerpt  from a short story written in the 1930s, by Dorothy Parker.
Is it that different today? Are we still agonizing over what we did or said because we're not hearing from the other? And do men worry if they let time pass, and then call, they might get the cold shoulder? Follow with me.

This is the last time I'll look at the clock. I will not look at it again. It's ten minutes past seven. He said he would telephone at five o'clock. "I'll call you at five, darling." I think that's where he said "darling.'' I'm almost sure he said it there.  I know he called me "darling" twice, and the other time was when he said good-by. "Good-by, darling."  He was busy, and he can't say much in the office, but he called me"darling" twice. He couldn't have minded my calling him up. I know you shouldn't keep telephoning them--I know they don't like that. When you do that, they know you are thinking about them and wanting them, and that makes them hate you. But I hadn't talked to him in three days--not in three days. And all I did was ask him how he was; it was just the way anybody might have called him up. He couldn't have minded that. He couldn't have thought I was bothering him. "No, of course you're not," he said.  And he said he'd telephone me . He didn't have to say that. I didn't ask him to, truly I didn't. I'm sure I didn't. I don't think he would say he'd telephone me, and then just never do it. Please don't let him do that, God. Please don't.
"I'll call you at five darling."  "Good-by, darling." 

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