Three Takes

Take One:

He shows up at her apartment for a sixth date with a bottle of Ketel One and a toothbrush.

Take Two:

She had seen a nice side to him that wasn’t always apparent to others.

Take Three:

“Why do girls always go for the bad boys?”

~~~

Take One:

She tells him, “Don’t even think about taking out that toothbrush.”

Take Two:

If she were honest with herself, she’d admit that her attraction to him was minimal, that he was merely a foregone resignation.

Take Three:

“We don’t. We simply make bad choices.”

~~~

Take One:

He reminds her how beautiful, how hot, how incredible she is.

Take Two:

Being honest in her resignation, she admits to herself that ardent words and passionate kisses provide a powerful lure toward a shadowy path she would normally avoid, but doesn’t, because it is so easy not to.

Take Three:

“Quit beating yourself up.”

~~~

Take One:

He can’t understand why she wants nothing at all to do with him when he asks her out for dinner the next evening.

Take Two:

“I have discovered the following things,” she writes to a friend. “You know rock bottom when you hit it. You have to hit rock bottom to be honest enough with yourself to admit that you took yourself there. That until you take yourself there, you can’t climb back up.”

Take Three:

“A rebound after the boy was bound to happen.”

~~~

Take One:

He is angry. He makes hideous comments about her to a good friend of hers. He adds that he thinks she is one confused girl.

Take Two:

Tentatively, she lays down and presses her cheek against the smooth bottom of this barrel. It is cool and soothing. The bottom, someone had once told her, is often worth embracing. Because it’s all yours in all its dark scariness, and suddenly, it is rendered powerless and becomes quite beautiful.

Take Three:

“You’re the nine billionth girl who’s gone through this, you know–separation from a marriage, bad boyfriends, dates from hell. Forget it and move on. You’re smart and beautiful. You can do it.”

~~~

Take One:

She texts him that she is dropping off his bottle of vodka at the front desk for him to pick up, whenever. He texts back: “Keep it. No hard feelings.”

Take Two:

She drives around all day with the bottle of vodka in the front seat of her car, uncertain what to do with it. She could simply throw it out, but she feels there has to be a perfect way to be rid of this liquid symbol of negative energy.

Take Three:

“Sure, I’ll take it!” says a bar-owner friend of hers as she hands him the Ketel One. “You should know,” she tells him, “It is the residue of date-from-hell No. 245-C as described in the ‘Dating’ handbook: The guy who shows up with booze and a toothbrush.” Her bar-owner friend laughs. Later, he tells her he poured and drank a quick vodka and tonic from the stuff, “To be sure it wasn’t drugged.”

~~~

Take One:

Done.

Take Two:

Over.

Take Three:

“You’ll be fine. You already are. If only you’d allow yourself to feel fine.”

~~~

Two steps forward, one giant step back. Many more steps of both types to come, because that’s life. But today, it feels like the perfect moment to hit the ground running–very much forward.


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8 responses to “Three Takes”

  1. Kimberly Avatar

    As long as you keep taking the 2 steps forward, you are definitely on the right path.

    Great luck to you.

  2. Kim Ayres Avatar

    I like that idea of embracing the bottom of the barrel.

    Mind you, it does get pretty crowded sometimes…

  3. Aaron DeLay Avatar

    I liked that. The ending has me thinking now, “Two steps forward, one giant step back. Many more steps of both types to come, because that’s life. But today, it feels like the perfect moment to hit the ground running–very much forward.”

    Always helpful with the inspiration RG. I love that about ya.

    Woot. 🙂

  4. namaste Avatar

    Kettle One and a toothbrush? You have GOT to be kidding me…

    Wow. This is one of those moments where you are not sure to laugh at him or run down the street.

    Hang in there. Please hang in there. And always remember to shut the door on a man who brings his own toothbrush. (That is SO presumptuous!)

  5. savannah Avatar

    i had to read this twice, sugar! it wasn’t your writing, it was my own disbelief that started with “take one – vodka & his toothbrush” i am still shaking my head! i am far more sheltered than i thought. BUT, all that aside, you, sugar, are golden! with all that has happened, you keeping more forward! well done! xoxo

  6. JoeInVegas Avatar

    Toothbrush? Why would he bring a toothbrush?

    But, as someone once said – “You’re smart and beautiful. You can do it.”

  7. Restaurant Gal Avatar

    Kimberly–Sometimes it’s barely a half step forward, but the operative word is “forward.”

    Kim–Always room for one more, it seems. It’s quite a group, trust me!

    Aaron–Mostly, I am simply trying to get it right one hour at a time, or so it seems. Thank you, though.

    Namaste–You will read the “rest of the story” in the book I am laboring away on.

    Savannah–Yeah, I used to be sheltered, too. A year in SoFla kinda changes that!

    JoeinVegas–I know, go figure! As for the other sentiment, not feeling too terribly smart these days. But, sure, I can do it–just as soon as I get smarter.

  8. L. from CA Avatar
    L. from CA

    Hello RG,

    “Tentatively, she lays down and presses her cheek against the smooth bottom of this barrel. It is cool and soothing. The bottom, someone had once told her, is often worth embracing. Because it’s all yours in all its dark scariness, and suddenly, it is rendered powerless and becomes quite beautiful”

    Beautiful stuff. You’ll never make a mistake in what you write, no matter what form or style because you can feel life’s pulse. Hope that made sense.

    L.