Chapter 3: the most awkward phone call in the world history of dating

He said he would call around 9pm, and I've learned since then that he's always on time for everything. My phone rang at 8:58pm.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is this Bethany?"

His voice was...higher than I had anticipated. I cringed. 

"Yeah. How's it going, Tim?"

We hobbled through an incredibly awkward conversation. We talked about the weather in Chicago, and then in Kansas City. We both had snow. We talked about church since it was Sunday. I forget what else we talked about. Maybe his brother's job? Finally, trying to get it over with as soon as possible, I turned the conversation to his trip to Kansas City.

"So, you think you want to come down?"

"Oh, I hadn't really thought about it much. It could be fun, though, right?"

What? Was he a total flake already?

"Yeah, Kansas City's a really fun place. There's tons of cool neighborhoods. I love it a lot."

"I have some friends who live there too. They've been trying to get me to come visit."

"You'd have plenty of people to see."

I didn't even know what I wanted to say. The last thing I wanted to do was talk him into coming. It was his idea in the first place! I never asked him to come. He was already frustrating me.

"The thing is, I'm leaving for France next Tuesday to spend Christmas with my family...and I have seventeen photo-shoots to edit and mail out before I can go. I'm just not sure I'll be able to get it all done  in time to spend a weekend in Kansas City before leaving for France."

What the hell.

"Well, that sure sounds like a ton of work you've got there."

"But hey, I might be able to get it done! If I don't come this weekend, it'll be a long time before I can get away. As soon as I get back to Chicago, I'm booked the first three weekends in January shooting weddings. So I really hope I can make it."

What wedding photographer is booked for the entire month of January?! Who even gets married in January?!

"Okay...have you...do you have any place to stay while you're here?"

"Uhh...no...like I said, I hadn't really planned that far."

"Right, of course. I was just wondering because...my roommate and I have this sort of guest bedroom, and, well, I haven't asked her, but maybe if she's okay with having a houseguest...you could probably stay with us."

"Hey, thanks for the offer. I really hope I can get everything finished up in time."

"Sure, absolutely. However it works out will be great."

We wrapped up the conversation and said goodbye.  Then I told Amy that judging from that phone call, I didn't really feel like I wanted him to come anyway and spent all night trying to figure out why the hell his voice was so high on the phone when it was obviously a full baritone or bass in his Facebook videos.

Many thanks to Tim for allowing me to include this. A ridiculous college roommate video shenanigan made me cry laughing. Our first phone call may have been terrible, but I still wanted to be friends with the guy in the videos.  We just needed to get passed our nerves...and he needed to get through an ungodly amount of editing before we could start having fun together.