My First Date

Nervously sitting in the theater chair,
     Holding my popcorn not knowing what else to do.
Sitting here, awkwardly looking beside me, at you.
              I'm still new to this whole dating scene;
My stomach fills with butterflies...Or perhaps that's my spleen.
                        I never did well at anatomy; all I know is I'm scared
How do I act? How do I know if you care?

          You look at me and smile in that side-way grin of yours
But I look away, bashful, and instead admire the floor.
                  Look at all the popcorn and trash—who cleaned?
When is the movie going to start? Oh wait, it's not even six-thirty.
          Why did we come so early? That's right so we could talk;
But now we're here and I've got nothing. My mind has suddenly been replaced by chalk.
                  Or something like that. I didn't ask you to judge.


You clear your throat, shift in your chair, and my body stiffens
          Accidentally, of course. That's right—I'm brave;
If you put your arm over my shoulders, the night might be saved.
               But you don't. We don't touch. We don't talk. We just stare
At the blank screen. Wondering, thinking...do you even care?
      I swear the dating scene should come with a book;
Of what to expect and if there is a certain look.

Maybe if I reach over and take your hand, would that be weird?
             Perhaps if I look at you like this, you can read my mind,
And know that I like you, I do! So do something before we run out of time!
        Just touch me somehow, make it intimate in someway!
Anything, to make me know I am doing okay...but maybe I am not.
              Are you disappointed? Am I fool? Has this night been thwarted?
What have I done? What can I do? When has dating turned everyone to fools?

We look at each other, this time we don't look away.
               Your mouth begins to open like you got something to say.
I raise my eyebrows in that questioning look, but you close your mouth;
       We're silent. I really have no idea what this is all about.
For a hopeless romantic, I'm sure dumb when it comes to this--
                 Tonight is definitely not going to end with one small kiss;
Which is probably good because I'd mess that up too.

How do I get through to you? How do I know where this is going to lead?
             What at this moment am I supposed to believe?
That's it! I quit. I'll say what I mean! I'll tell you I want you,
      I like you, please say you like me too!
I open my mouth; the previews begin to roll;
                Wasted all that time and still stuck with no place to go.
And we're there making fun of the previews

        We have similar taste I see; you laugh at things
That I think are funny. That's cool, right? That means something...right?
                 Or not. I am thinking too much again
And perhaps this date means nothing. Perhaps we'll just be friends
      Ah, figures. This is what always happens to me
For a romantic, I think I can say
                              I've flunked out of this dating game.