Dorrie Off to Atlanta

 

Jen? Hi, it’s Dorie. I’m on the bus to LaGuardia. … Atlanta.

What? … Maybe. I’m not really sure. I mean his schedule is so

   whacked,

y’know? … But anyway. I was telling you about Marcie. Yeah.

   So

I said to her, I said, Marcie, this one seems different, y’know?

I said the last few guys you’ve dated—from what you’ve told

   me—

I mean frankly— … Yeah. I said, Marcie, they might be

like very charming, y’know, and with great jobs, but frankly—

what it comes down to is, Let’s hit the bed,

and in the morning, Thanks for the excellent coffee. Y’know?

But this guy— … What? It’s Jason. Yeah.

So I said Marcie, from what you’ve said, Jason sounds

   different—

and from what Bob said about him also. … Bob knows him

from some project last fall. So I said Marcie, you’ve had, what,

two coffees, two lunches, and a dinner, and he still hasn’t— …

No, Bob says he’s definitely straight. …

I think there was a divorce like six years ago or something. But

   my—

What? … That’s right, yeah, I did. At Nathan’s party after some

   show …

Yeah, “The Duchess of Malfi,” I forgot I told you. What? …

Only for five minutes–one cigarette, y’know? … Kind of low-

   Key,

like thoughtful. But my point is— … Yeah, exactly! So I said,

Marcie, this is a guy who understands, y’know,

that bed is like part of something, y’know?

Like it’s not the big objective for godsake. It’s like an aspect–

What? … Exactly—it’s an expression of something much more—

Yes!—it’s like, Can we be companions in life, y’know?

So I said, Marcie, for godsake—if you don’t give this guy

like a serious chance, somebody else—y’know? … Right,

I mean let’s face it— … Jen? I’m losing you here—am I breaking

   up?

Jen, I’ll call you from the airport—Okay bye.

Mark Halliday, The Gettysburg Review vol.7 no.1 Gettysburg College