Date A Boy Who Pays Attention To Lyrics
Find him amidst the smoke of a lousy party, complaining about the DJ. Nod in agreement as you smile and glance at your friends dancing like crazy. Engage in a heartfelt conversation. Find yourself introducing stories with an “I really shouldn’t be telling you this, because it’s quite embarrassing, but…” Confess something silly, like how you wish life was a Broadway musical. Watch him acknowledge your point. Hear about his adventures and tales. He’ll tell you about the time he rented a motorcycle in California, and how much he regretted not getting a car, because listening to music on an iPod is not quite the same as on a stereo. Hear his embarrassing stories. Laugh your true, ugly, loud laugh, the one reserved for your close acquaintances. Forget the stupid, teenage giggle you usually use with boys. You don’t need it with him.
Leave said party with him. As he switches on the engine of his car, hear one of your favorite songs come on the radio. Watch as, at a stoplight, he closes his eyes, retreats into his own world, and asserts that “this is the best part.” Agree full-heartedly. From the corner of his eye, he’ll look at you and grin. Let yourself be dazzled.
He’ll drop you off at your place and won’t even try to kiss you, although he will ask for your number. He may look like a bad boy with his leather jacket, rumpled hair, and wicked half smile, but he’s also a good man and a gentleman, too. Get out of the car. Smile and wave like a 5 year-old. Once in the safety of your room, throw yourself on your bed. Have trouble falling asleep, because like Dr. Seuss once said, reality is finally better than your dreams.
Over the next couple of days, check your phone constantly. Arm yourself with patience. He won’t call you immediately, because a boy who pays attention to lyrics understands the importance of building anticipation. He learned from songs’ introductions that the strength of the first verse many times relies on it.
The boy who pays attention to lyrics understands that songs aren’t just melodies, they are poetry, and that words are love. Both his wits and his tongue are sharp, like yours. He won’t disguise the truth; he’s outspoken and he’ll call them as he sees them. This will hurt at times, but it will be freeing as well.
The boy who pays attention to lyrics will challenge you and push you to your limits. And in your heart, you will rejoice, because you have tried lukewarm waters and they have not suited you. You will not settle for a mediocre existence and neither will he. He would rather die than let you become “Comfortably Numb.”
The boy who pays attention to lyrics values details. There is profoundness in him, a true depth to his soul. He is not fooled by looks alone (or, in his case, melodies). He is in a constant quest for something more than what mere surfaces (or rhythms) are willing to offer. He knows how to read between the lines, and comprehends mixed messages: that a song can seem (and sound) happy, but actually deliver a dark and troublesome message.
The boy who pays attention to lyrics will recognize you as the cool chick that grasps that the Guns N’ Roses met their downfall after the Use Your Illusion CDs, and yet be aware that inside you there’s a little girl who still loves Disney songs. He knows you’ve scream-sung Celine Dion with your friends more times than you’re willing to admit. He encourages you to listen to your girly music, because he knows it transports you to some magical moment from yesteryear. He’ll even ask you to translate that French song you love so much, because he wants to appreciate it, too.
The boy who pays attention to lyrics will nickname you after some song that describes you. He’ll even ask if you’ve met the composer, because it seems the lyrics apply to you perfectly. He’ll have a knack for choosing the right song for every special occasion. He’ll also e-mail you verses that remind him of you or, better yet, sing them in your ear.
The boy who pays attention to lyrics will hold on to you even when you’re completely unlovable, because he’s into you for better or worse. Lyrics, as well as people, have the ability to take him to hell and back, but that does not scare him off. After all, he knows that even the moon has a dark side to it. He embraces the fact that life is a roller coaster. He wouldn’t have it any other way.
Life with him won’t be easy, but it will be one heck of a ride, and worth every second of it. So do yourself a favor, and date the boy who pays attention to lyrics.