the copper penny

THE COPPER PENNY

The phone buzzed the other morning, a couple hours after sending a FB messenger text to someone who I like more than I probably should. 

Too long a story to pack into a line or two here, but earlier that day a carefully crafted note went out to this person, including a couple direct questions that would have elicited a quick answer a year ago. I ask permission to continue the correspondence a couple times a year, and not that long ago she allowed as how she liked having someone to share thoughts and feelings with from time to time.

So the phone buzzes about the time I would have expected a response from her in the past.  Deciding to savor the feeling one gets when a note from someone special comes in, I grabbed the phone on the way out for a walk where it started to feel like a coin in my pocket.  Could it be gold? A message from that special someone or will it be copper, a message from anyone else?  Can't tell by feeling the thing without looking.

I don't get many texts or messenger messages so it's easy to have half a day of fun with that single buzz, but the moment of truth has to come sooner or later. 

I'm sure it's not just me, that feeling when you are hoping for a message from a certain person, heart leaps when the phone buzzes then take a drop to the floor when it is just a note from the wife and technically I'm not even married anymore.  Got to be a word for it, the quick elevation, shot of adrenalin then suddenly empty.

Copper penny that day but one can always hope for the gold in the future.