9. :: "piece of paper"

Andrew is staring at a piece of paper. He is concentrating hard. Andrew is hoping that by focusing hard enough on the paper that it will become something more than it is. At the moment the piece of paper has an 11 digit telephone number written on it in green ballpoint pen. A girl gave it to him. She gave him the number and he wrote it down. She sent him an email with the telephone number included in the body of the email and he scratched it on to a piece of paper and put the piece of paper into his pocket.


At the moment the piece of paper with the numbers on is just paper and ink. Andrew wants for it to change into a promise or a window of opportunity. Andrew wonders why he was given the number and exactly how important it is.

If a girl gives a boy a telephone number does it mean that she wants to be called? What should the reason for the call be? 'A date'? 'Just to chat? No. Should he call her soon or at all? What if he calls and she is busy and says so and that she will call him back but then never does? What can he do if he calls and it rings and then someone picks up but it is not the person who gave him the number and they tell him that he must have called the wrong number but when he checks it he sees that the number he dialled is the same number he was emailed? What if a man answers the telephone? What if she gave him the number for emergencies only? Or for business reasons? She said something about her job, maybe she thinks he is interested in her 'professionally'. No. She said she hated her job. That it was dull and unpleasant. What if the phone rings and rings and rings and no one ever answers and no answer machine kicks in and he stays on the end of the line forever, just waiting for her to pick up and say anything?