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to leap forward. A talking tail certainly grabs your attention doesn’t<br />
it? It’s brilliant.”<br />
I had difficulty understanding what my tail was saying at first,<br />
mostly because I was focused on leaving Marie alone for too long.<br />
But I did try to consider if my tail was right. I thought I had a<br />
conscience. Didn’t I?<br />
I was standing in the middle of the men’s room staring at the<br />
black-and-white tiled floor considering all of this when a tall guy in<br />
a tux came in. I coughed, and then bent over to tie my shoe so he’d<br />
think he had walked in just as I realized it was untied -- and not<br />
that he walked in while I was talking to my rear.<br />
My tail continued, “Don’t say anything. Think about it. In the<br />
meantime, go back out t<strong>here</strong> with Marie. Pick up w<strong>here</strong> you were<br />
before I interrupted and finish your date. And, if she seems<br />
interested, give her a kiss goodnight. Tell her you had a great time<br />
and that you will call her tomorrow. But do not sleep with her<br />
tonight. As your conscience, I think that is the best course of<br />
action.”<br />
Sleep with her? I hadn’t even considered that that would<br />
happen on this first date. I wanted to protest, but the tall guy was<br />
standing right beside me at a urinal. So, I finished re-tying my shoe<br />
and went back with Marie.<br />
It took me a while to recover as I kept thinking about what my<br />
tail had said. Things seemed to be going well with Marie by the<br />
time we finished dessert.<br />
And, I did what my tail told me. I didn’t sleep with her. I called<br />
her the next day.<br />
In the end, though, Marie dumped me. Or at least we didn’t get<br />
to a second date. I think she sensed something was off with me.<br />
How could she not, with my tail interrupting my already weakened<br />
dating skills.<br />
I was pissed. I was confused: a ripe moment to manipulate me.<br />
“Okay, <strong>here</strong>’s what you need to do.” my tail offered one day.<br />
December 2011 9