NSFW Author

I had carefully noted Sue’s phone number from my mirror and waited the mandatory 48 hours before attempting to call her.

I know, you may have heard otherwise. Some people recommend 24 hours because the girl might forget you. Others recommend 3 to 4 days in order not to sound desperate.

I always call the girl back on the next Monday evening if I met her on the Friday or Saturday. Some of my friends would object, but to me, that’s the best moment.

On one hand, you give her the rest of the week-end and a full day of work, so you don’t seem desperate and because it’s a Monday evening, you don’t look like you are searching for the second date already.

But it’s not so late that she had time to move on. If she did, by going out on the Sunday evening for example, she’s probably not my type of girl anyway.

I had tried calling on the Sunday after a Friday meeting and it was often awkward: either the girl was getting ready to sleep in early to be fresh at work and thought that I was wanting to go out or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, she doesn’t care about her job and practically invites herself in without my permission.

I even had one who had a pleasant enough conversation which ended with a promise to call each other in a few day who decided to surprise me and drop at my apartment when I was getting ready to sleep.

I knew the game a lot better and I played my hand a lot more professionally than I used to, so I waited, until Monday, exactly 34 minutes past 7. Never 35, never 33. Always, 7h34 PM.

It’s calculated, like everything else.

It may sound heartless, but let’s not kid ourselves, in the beginning, the hearth doesn’t have much to do with it. It’s a matter of perception and lust.

It’s only later that true emotions show their colors. Beforehand, it’s more of a complicated dance than an actual couple. I hoped to get there with Sue, but to be honest, the week before I had the same hopes with another girl I already forgot the name of.

It’s not always the case, often, I am the one who resists. But Sue was hot and interesting enough to warrant my full commitment to the dance.

I let it ring only 4 times. I hang up with my finger on the plunger, never with the phone itself. It’s a mistake many rookies make: if she answers at the last second and see the caller id, she will think you hung up on her.

At worse, if you already committed your finger to hung up, you can quickly remove it and hit the flash button, as if you had simply answered a second call and had gone back to the first one.

Sue answered in the middle of third one. Technically, she most likely answered in the pause between the third and the second one: many old telephone systems use an alternating ring signal. When the caller hears the beginning of first ring, the receiver already had it’s first ring completed, so you hear half a ring late.

I think it’s a remnant from the old system, or perhaps just my imagination: maybe when I tried it, there was simply a delay with my own phone.

In all cases, she sounded puzzled when she answered. That means she has caller id and she didn’t recognize the number.

I recognized her voice however. I am good with voices.

“Hello Sue, it’s Paul, from Saturday, I hope I didn’t call at the wrong time.”

This is the opening line. Once it is spoken, it is crucial to wait for her answer. If you start giving reminders like “You know, the guy living on 47th Street….”, you will never know if she thought about you since.

But Sue didn’t forget me. Some did. Not her. Without missing a beat, she jumped quickly into the dance.

“Hi Paul, I was wondering when you would call.”

And she stayed silent. Maybe she had her own dance. Maybe it was improv on the spot. In all cases, I jumped on the bait. I wasn’t to answer on that question directly.

“Well, I had a great time so when I saw your phone number on my mirror, I couldn’t resist. Do you think I could see you again?”

Sue took a flirty tone with me on the phone… I like this girl.

“I don’t Mr. Paul. Do you think it would be appropriate?”

“Well, what about a proper date this time. Maybe a meal in a nice restaurant, perhaps a movie.”

“That sound’s nice.”

“Perfect, are you available Friday evening?”

“I sure am. This is my cell phone number. Text me yours and I’ll text back my address for you to pick me up. I should be available around 6h.”

Oh, so she didn’t have time to talk tonight. I always like to engage in some polite phone conversation to get to know the girl better, but she has her own life and as such, I have to respect that.

“Looking forward to it.”, I simply replied and after an exchange of goodbyes, I hung up.