I found out my girl wasn’t coming for Sunday dinner in the most unexpected of ways. A collect call on the landline. Almost didn’t pick it up. Everyone who knows me knows I’m not one for phone calls. Most nights the rings go unanswered. Those solicitors can call all they want. I’m not letting them interrupt my evenings with their pitches.
Most of the time, I’m an inferior version of myself when on the phone. Can’t monitor signals. Can’t gage posture. Can’t read lips. It’s awkward and uncomfortable.
Only that night felt different. I put down the pot and quick took off my oven mitts.
Hello?
An operator spoke. She sounded automated.
Collect call from__ garbled speech__. Do you accept?
I was stunned but detected a whisper of my girl’s voice. I said yes before I even knew what I was agreei
