great expectations

i once met a stranger halfway across the country. i didn't know what to expect.

'the only way this is going to work is if we go into it without expectations,' he said to me.

i quoted the stranger when speaking to a friend tonight about his apparant fear of dating.

'just ask her for coffee,' i says. 'you don't have to propose to her or anything. just go into the evening without any expectations. that's the only way there's any hope of it working.'

i speak from experience, you see.

in a day and a bit i am flying to the same location to meet the same person. the difference is he is no longer much of a stranger.

though, i reckon, the same rule still applies.

expectations:

sweating in the beautiful beating sun
breaking my wrist
getting totally and utterly ripped (muscles not drunk)
being inspired
making thousands and thousands of dollars
being eaten by a bear
meeting fabulous people
breaking my back
making love after a hard day's work
getting frusterated with present company
swimming in the lake
leaches

all of/none of these things may/may not happen.

my plane might crash on the way there.
i might stop breathing in my sleep.

the only way we're gonna get through this is of we go into it with no expectations.

except for maybe a kiss. (that's both for me, and for my coffee asking friend.) separate kisses, of course . . .