His lunch invitation arrived via email and was followed up by a slew of witty texts and phone calls.  I only point this out because there never were many frivolous texts or calls before.  So why now?  It must be because he wants to fix the damage done during our last conversation.  He wants to tell me he made a mistake when he said the things he did.  He wants to tell me it would matter if I wasn’t in his life.

(Me:  Wait… are you breaking up with me?

Him:  Well, we were never actually “together,” so there’s really nothing to break up.

My heart, silently: WTF?  So now people that aren’t “together” make plans to meet each other’s parents, hang out with each other’s best friends, and travel to California and Mexico together?  Is he serious?

Me, out loud:  Um, really?

Him:  Yes.  And, I think we should see other people too.)

The topics of conversation at lunch were:  baseball, Formula One Racing (strangely I’m the one that launched into this subject, which I know absolutely nothing about), hookers in Las Vegas, and society parties.  I should mention that I hate:  baseball, Formula One Racing, hookers in Las Vegas, and society parties.

I should also mention that I hate awkward silences; silences that would never have been noticed if it were Friday of last week, because if it were Friday of last week, the silences would have been because our lips were entangled in a kiss instead of searching for the next meaningless sound to make.

I found myself constantly looking toward the corners of the room for the proverbial elephant.  I didn’t have to look that far though, because the elephant had pulled up a chair at our table, but we pretended not to notice.  And then we kept pretending not to notice on the car ride home, the ride in the elevator, and the walk to my car.  And then we still pretended not notice as we half-hugged goodbye.