Every gal probably knows the guy I know. He's the guy who talks in flirts. Like when I say I'm off to poetry class, he tells me to write a poem for him. When I ask him about his broken arm, he's ready with a Sharpie for me to sign his cast, but after I do, tells me I forgot to draw a heart around my name.
Yeah, that guy. I want to be nice to that guy. I want to say hello to that guy. But, every time I forget that I mustn't, he reminds me. His wannabe compliments leave me equal parts smiling awkwardly and rolling my eyes.
Dating an Onion
Opposites may attract
for the initial hello,
but I worry I have more layers
than you.
For you its chocolate milk every morning
at Speedway;
sandwiches
for both lunch and dinner.
For me it's crepes with jam and coffee
from anywhere but a gas station
and I'm pretty sure I gave up sandwiches
in 2014.
For you its pubs
wearing worn t-shirt and jeans,
ordering beer
and complaining about money.
Though I, too, pinch pennies
and enjoy a good beer, in jeans,
I most prefer a Martini
in a rather festive dress.
Nothing wrong with
being simple,
but I sense my layers
are more complex.
It's true cutting through onions can make you cry. They contain a chemical irritant known as syn-propanethial-S-oxide. I once had to put on a snorkel while preparing onions for a dinner with my grandmother; which, by the way, didn't help, but led to some good laughter and a more than decent meal. However, if you simply avoid cutting through the base of the onion—opposite the root—you'll likely spare yourself from looking like you just went through a break-up. And it works just about every time.
Yes, onions (a.k.a., more complex people) have layers. However, those layers are relatively harmless and can be quite delicious and fun to peel; that is, if you find you like onions. Plus, they'll add a nice "zip" to just about any situation or plate. So, peel away. However, their bases, when cut (much like the proverbial button, when pushed), may irritate.
Why do some people insist on cutting through a base or pushing a button when they know, in the end, they'll be the ones tearing up?
In other words, why be "that" guy? Especially when the gal is an onion and she's genuinely rooting for you.
Grace Millard is a graphic designer from Detroit, MI. Her art has appeared in exhibitions across Detroit, including the NO Show, where her feature piece appeared as part of a mini comic called "Personal Space." She also wrote and illustrated her own chapbook, I Tried To Tell You.