Wednesday, December 21, 2005

48 Hours

I know it's the season to talk about family and giving and crap like that, but I'm not in the mood, so I won't. My family left me to go halfway around the world, so for me Christmas doesn't count this year. But then again, I get to skip the motherly disapproval of my hairstyle, wardrobe, and life choices, so it's not a total wash. Love you Mommy!!

Anyways, the other day a friend of mine, let's call her Flatty Girl (no ass, just a back with a crack), calls me up in a panic because this guy with whom she's been parlaying hasn't called her in 48 hours. Obvious state of emergency there. We start racking our brains as to what she possibly could've said or done to make him stop speaking to her and come up with nada. Of course she can't call him because if he's not speaking to her for whatever reason, she mustn't show any desire to want to talk to him. That's how the game is played. So the only thing Flatty is left to do is simply go to bed and wonder why.
Fast forward 18 hours later. I call her up to see how she's doing and she can't talk to me cause she's on the phone with old boy. He called, she's happy, all is well. When I asked her if he'd given an explanation for the disappearing act she told me he said, "I was really busy and didn't get the chance to call. Besides, it was only 2 days." This got me thinking, "only 2 days." "Only 2 days"? In the grand scheme of things, 2 days doesn't seem very long. Maybe Flatty Girl had overreacted.
Two is a small number. 1, 2. See that, it doesn't take too much time to get to the number 2. So why was Flatty Girl so stressed? Why didn't I tell her to relax, it had only been 2 days? Why have I bugged out in similar situations? And why do guys look at chicks like they're crazy when they trip cause contact hasn't been made for 2 days? I think I've got an answer. Women don't see 2 days, we see 48 hours. 48 is a whole lot more than 2. Actually it's 24 times more than 2. It takes a lot longer to count to 48 than it does to count to 2. 48 hours is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much longer than 2 days.
In all honesty, the fact that Mr. Way Too Into Himself flirted with another chick right in front of me on Valentine's Day two years ago wasn't the only reason I cursed him out in front of a club that evening. He had also committed the egregious sin of not calling me for 48 hours. He couldn't figure out why I would be so upset about that, since, it was "only two days." But that's the thing, for me it wasn't only two, it was 48 long hours. 8 hours at work, 6 hours of sleep, 3 hours of television, 2 hours of step practice, another 8 hours of work, 5 more hours asleep, and more lost hours that I can't remember. All those hours added up and in all 48 60 minute increments my phone didn't ring once. Well, at least not by him. Each hour that passed was another hour for me to think. Every guy who has ever dated me has always said that's something I shouldn't be allowed to do. When given 48 hours of unregulated time, it's truly amazing what my brain can come up with. I can drive myself into a state of rampant paranoia in 48 hours and imagine all type of problems where none exist. And I'm not the only cause Flatty Girl did it too.
I don't know where the perception difference comes from. Personally I don't care. All I want is for a guy to see things my way. I could try to look at 2 days as "only 2 days," but I can't. I've been waiting by my phone for 48 hours and this bastard still ain't called me back.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

48 = 2 days = not a long time.

2 days < 1 week = so calm yo ass down and have patience.

Anonymous said...

Can I get an AMEN!! 2days= 2 damn long. Fellas stop acting up and just call your girl!! Stop giving us heartburn!

Anonymous said...

If my man didn't call me for 2 days his ass would be grass.

Anonymous said...

So it's not just me either? Phew! I was about to say! But you're so right about playing the game. One of my boy-toys (actually my favorite one) had the nerve to hang up on me while he was on hold citing me for violating the "10 second" rule and saying it wasn't personal. That's the problem, though. I'm ME. I'm not Juan Pee, Bullet Head, nor any one of them other niggas you call your folk. The situation might've warranted me putting you on hold for 11 seconds and you choose to be impatient?

That's 11 seconds, but they expect us to be patient for 48 hours (172800 seconds)? Mind you, he said "lemme call you right back" and that was...take a wild guess. TWO DAYS AGO! Here I am, having to erase his number out my phone to avoid calling him because he wants to be a prick. But I miss him...UGH!

Anonymous said...

Children, pah-leeze! It must be your young minds. Two days aren't anything when you're busy. Stop making men the center of world and find some worthwhile activities to keep you busy, such as attending school, mentoring a child, researching your family history, or volunteering. While you're out, you'll meet more men to occupy your time while your obsessive-loved-one is taking care of his business for 48 hours.

Anonymous said...

I must make a comment about anonymous' comment because it was very judgmental and sanctimonious.
I don't mentor one child, I mentor several. I tutor students in Math every Saturday, teach Sunday school, and volunteer at a crisis shelter at least twice a week. All that and I have a job, too!
Still I find time to have a social life and the right to comment on those experiences. Doing so does NOT make me childish or mean I obsess over men. If you don't agree with me/us, that's fine; but don't make ASSumptions about what we should be doing instead just because you don't share the same feelings.
Next time, just like your identity, keep your bullshit comments to yourself.

Michele in Michigan said...

Girrrrrrrrrl, it's startin' to smell like old folks in here. Post something soon!!

;)