Text and the City: Breaking the Digital Code

What can I say? It sure looked good on text, and it was getting better and more ardent by the cellular minute. My favorite was: “I am still curious about that deep glow and intensity in your eyes.” That’s quite unusual, I thought, and it makes me curious too … What made me even more curious was that by then I could not even remember what he looked like. He kept texting and insisting and so on one gorgeous day in Pacifica, I invited K to have a quiet picnic with me on the beach. Two humans, one ocean, a stretch of sand, and four bare feet. No phones or any other electronic devices. My hope was that for this brief moment in time, the only screen between us would be sunscreen.

When we finally met, I was totally captivated by our magical and intense interaction. The entire afternoon flew by with an immediate sense of comfort, flowing conversation, erotic playfulness, and lots of affection. His skillful, typing fingertips could tell wonderful stories also to the back of my neck. I was so pleasantly surprised and beaming with delight.

We said a sweet goodbye and before I knew it, we were back to the digital realm of romance: “Hey, what are you wearing?” asks the nonchalant king of SMS. He really has his way with those texts, huh? My mind starts racing—it’s like one of those riddles that you just have to win because if you get the answer wrong, then you lose your chance forever. “Hmmm …” I type back, trying to buy time, the pressure is rising. Finally, I’m gambling on the truth: “Water. I’m just stepping into the shower.” He replies with “Yumm,” and I’m so relieved. Thank goodness, looks like I got this one right and the avatar might actually take human form again.

Sure enough, he buzzed two days later to tell me he happens to be in my hood. I spontaneously invited him to join a pedicure get together with a girlfriend—not your typical date invite, I know, but I just couldn’t pass an opportunity for a bite of real life, as I was leaving town before the end of the week and we’d be back in cyberspace for quite a good stretch of time.

When everything flows like a chain of miracles, some people say it can’t be true; for me, that’s when I know it may be real! We arrived to our meeting spot at exactly the same moment and while I was parking my “chick car,” as he calls it. I could see K’s reflection through the mirror, getting off his big bike right behind me. Butterflies. I step out of the car and the first kiss happens, right there on the sidewalk. He actually wants to get a pedicure and joins us to my amusement. Stretching his toes, he even seems to enjoy the fancy unexpected treatment. Again there’s magic and humor in the air, and a precious sense of ease, and I’m phasing in and out what feels like a fuzzy dream.