Private Concert

Six strings

of a guitar

and your voice, low and deep-

a philharmonic orchestra

for me.

The Proposal

They always went to open-air restaurants.

She was allergic to cigarette smoke. And he was, well, a chain smoker.


His clothes always stink of cigarettes and…ugh, his teeth are starting to yellow. She frowned at him from across the table.


He was quite oblivious to her scrutiny.


I will never marry a chimney. She wrinkled her nose in annoyance as the fumes passively touched her face.


‘Give me your hand,’ he said, grinning, and wove a delicate smoke ring around her ring finger.


‘Will you marry me?’


She stared at him for a second before deciding.


‘Yes!’ she replied, ecstatic. 

Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn’t it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armor, so that nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life… You give them a piece of you. They didn’t ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like kiss you or smile at you, and then your life isn’t your own anymore.

-- Neil Gaiman