Two Tone's Time to Shine

They were the perfect two for getting along. But they hadn't met yet.

"One day, my beautiful son, you'll meet the right person. Let's hope it's your time to shine," his mother would say.

"I don't know what you mean, Mama, but, okay."

Now, all these years later, he wondered if his mother had a crystal ball or if she was clairvoyant. It really didn't matter which.

"I met the woman of my dreams. She has it all," he told his workmate, who was halfway around the world.

"Easy killer. She's got to be smitten with you too. Is she?" Frank asked.

"How the hell do I know? She talks to me. That's all I know and I lap up each word. She is a fox with her words. Everything is groovy with her if you know what I mean."

"How much time do you spend talking to her? And what do you two talk about?"

"We talk about all kinds of things. Writing, politics, monogamy, and people's motivations"

"Really? That sounds interesting."

"Yeah, she has such an interesting approach to the world and her ideas are fresh and a little bit out there. It is the coolest to listen to her talk on subjects. And she listens to me talk about writers and stories."

"Does she humour you or is she actually interested? Would you know the difference? Does it matter to you? Are you blinded by her light?"

"What? I don't know. Maybe?"

"Okay, do you think about her when you aren't talking to her?"

"Oh. Yeah, all the time. We share our sense of humour; I immediately think of her when I come across something funny."

"Do you think she does the same thing with you? How is it when you start and end conversations with her?"

"That is the easy part, I can do whatever I want and she doesn't care."

"What do you mean?"

"She is consistent and always there, never wearing thin and being true to herself. She does call me on my shit when I need it too."

"What do you mean? Do you treat her badly?"

"I have in the past. But my friend list is getting thin at the moment and she is one of the few still standing."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I can talk real to her. She's a guy but then I can see her feminine side too. It's super awesome for me because I never had that before in my life. Without having sex with the person,"

"You two have never had sex and you feel that strongly for her? Is she choosing not to have sex with you or are you choosing not to have sex with her?"

"No, man. It's nearly impossible. She is outside my state. It's complicated. But I can't explain it."

"That's cool. Don't try. Just roll with it"

"She must be thinking the same about me. I can't see how she can't be thinking the same."

"Why? Because you know so? Or because you want it to be so?"

"Look, man. It's a feeling I get when I talk to her. She allows me to be free and myself and she doesn't care. She sees my faults and hang-ups and is cool with it all. Isn't that what everyone wants in a relationship?"

"Yeah. I'd say so. As a matter of fact, if I found a woman like that, I would make her a permanent person in my life. There's no way I would let her slip through my fingers. There's no way."

"You think so?"

"Definitely. What is holding you back?"

"She doesn't ever talk about getting together or meeting up. If I bring it up and that's not what she is thinking, I could ruin everything with her."

"You have a case of nerves. That's good. It means that she is the one for you, for sure."

"I don't know, man. She is too precious to lose."

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

He took his friend's advice and made his move. He dialled, his fingers trembling with the digits of her number. He took a deep breath.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's me."

"Hey, how are things, my friend from the west?"

"I am great. I finally found the one I've been searching for."

"What are you talking about? You've only been single for a spit's worth of time. You need to put the brakes on that stuff. Remember? We talked about this."

"Just shut up and listen to me, please."

"Okay. Sorry. Go ahead. I'm listening. She must be something. This I got to hear."

"I've been so foolish. I thought I needed to look far and wide but the one I sought was right in front of me the entire time."

"She was? Man, that's great. Who is she? Someone you told me about?"

"No. She's, she's, she's."

"What is with you? I mean, it's not like you're going to say it's me or anything so just spit it out already."

"Oh, but this time you are wrong. It is you."

"What? Me? I hoped for so long that you would see me. But you always saw everyone but me. Why now? I was ready last year."

"I didn't know what the feelings I had for you meant. But I remembered my mom telling me something when I was growing up. She used to say, "One day, my beautiful son, you'll meet the right person. Let's hope it's your time to shine."

"I used to say, "I don't know what you mean Mama but, okay.""

"That is beautiful."

"You think so. I just have one question for you. Is it my time to shine?"

"You tell me? We have a lot to iron out. Geography is the major stumbling block."

"I've been thinking about that. I can work from anywhere and I am willing to move where you are if you'll allow me to do so."

"Moving here is a big step. This isn't the same climate that you're used to out there in the West. The sun shines here but the snow flies here too."

"I don't care. I'll buy a parka and some boots. I'm sure we can shop for those things, right?"

"I believe we can."

"Just tell me. Are you smiling right now?"

"I am. Are you?"

"Oh, hell yeah, baby!"

"Look, we aren't spring chickens here. What are your expectations of me? I mean, do you want a life partner? Or just a bed partner for a few months?"

"No. I want that, sure. But I want to be with you, like physically with you all the time. Being myself with you being yourself. How does that sound?"

"All I can ask is that you accept me the way I am."

"Ditto, ditto."