Mr. Unexpected

Mr. Unexpected


I am looking for Mr. Right
when I should not be looking for
Mr. Unexpected.

I look for the former around the corner,
but he is never there.
Meanwhile,
the latter is behind me
sight unseen
because my eyes don't sit
in the back of my head.

Mr. Right is usually unavailable
or late for a dinner date,
so Mr. Wrong shows up in his place.
Meanwhile,
Mr. Unexpected is on the other side of town
drowning the stresses of his day
in soft jazz and red wine,
NeoSoul and a home-cooked meal --
that's the stuff I like.

Now Mr. Right is no longer
on the market.
He recently got engaged
to his college sweetheart.
And Mr. Wrong won't
stop calling --
I had Verizon block his number.
But Mr. Unexpected isn't in
my phonebook
or call log.
I accidentally deleted his digits.

It is when I stop waiting
by the phone
that it will ring again.

-- "Hello. This is Mr. Unexpected."
-- "Who?"
(Don't hang up. Just keep talking.)

He comes in stealth,
like a thief in the night,
to marry his bride
in the morning.



~cdw
5.9.09