Karen Noble

Aside from his parents, you’re the one I need to impress the most. Don’t make it hard on me. I’m already bugging.

Was I supposed to die? And then chill in a coffin in the forest and wait for you to come back and kiss me and wake me up? Am I freakin’ Snow White?

They come to your art show. They encourage you to practice with your band. They don’t get jealous or upset when you have to work late. They genuinely want you to succeed.

Tell me the place we’re going is “Omg, so close. Like two blocks away seriously” when it’s actually seventeen blocks away and you have no concept of distance or time.

You Googled me and mistook me for a serial killer with my same name. I am not that serial killer!

Open Excel and start making a nonsensical spreadsheet or one of your favorite bars ranked by drink price and ambiance.

You put it on your hip and bopped it up and down making coo-ing noises. The baby smiled in toothless glee. And you smiled too — in a way I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile. It was pure.

They constantly tell you how they think you should live your life or how what you’re doing is wrong because it’s not how they would do it. They insist you engage with them on their schedule whenever they want to harass you. They belittle your priorities just because they don’t understand them.

Men sit like they’re about to get up. They sit so their shoulders bunch and you can watch them flex and move under their shirts. They sit with their toes outward and tapping, with their knees spread, with their elbows out.

You’re not quite the one because we’ve never had the chance to see if you are. Maybe we never will.