One gerber daisy.

Two thoughts: he respects me, when did I last get flowers? He asked me to come with him to the open mike this Monday. Undecided.

I'll see Dan on Wednesday. I'll wear my hair in floppy curls and tuck it behind an ear and deliver to him the ultimatum. I can see it now, we're standing in that weedy gravel driveway, the flickering from the Valu Village sign blue across his face, his mouth moving to the words, "Oh Shannon, I thought you'd understood this was casual..." and I'm walking away and searching for my keys. Really searching for something solid when everything else flows silent liquid from your head down.

But that's all speculation.

Seven days: fly to Toronto. We'll drive to Montreal. Ice skate. Dance at Time. I haven't seen him in over a year. "...me with keys dangling from one hand and heart from the other..." Things really don't change much.