while i was waiting

I've been waiting patiently during the past week for the handsome pauper to call me and still no avail, although it hasn't fully been nine days yet. If this is some sort of test of my steadfastness I'm sure I've failed. I've been racking up a handful of potential alternatives, at lunches, on the train and in the pub. I never knew it could be this easy!

The first of these, a shy guy from Peru, I'm certain I won't date. He is very sweet and perhaps that is the problem. He invited a friend and I over for a lunch-party on a Saturday afternoon. He prepared the meal himself and even baked a cake. The entire afternoon he wore the look of, "it's all for you" proudly on his face. When he called the house a few days later to ask me out, I said I was surprised. He said, "I'm full of surprises!" I promptly nipped that one in the bud.

Then, on the way home from a massive hilly hike on the ocean's shore, and let's just say fully embodying the look, a cute tall boy with big blue eyes smiles at me. He says hello and I immediately recognize his accent, Italian. The train ride is full of broken languages, English: his, Italian: mine and coy smiles. He tells me he is going to Verona in April for his niece's christening. "Have you ever been there? You should come with me." I didn't consent to the trip, but I did give him my phone number when he asked. Verona in April does sound nice!

Yesterday, a swarm of guys surrounds our table. For some reason the underdog has my eye. When I ask him what he does, he says, "I save the world." I almost spit my drink out my nose. Turns out this fair haired, Australian is a police officer and what he is lacking in game, he surly made up in his ability to make me laugh. He coerced me onto some silly dancing. He even sent me a fully coherent text message shortly after we parted complete with punctuation. I think I could like him.

My pauper better find his fingers dialing my phone number soon because apparently this city is full of surprises!