By the Light of My Monitor Screen

By the Light of My Monitor Screen
or
Love Nineties Style: The Great Internet Romance

Friday rolled around like it always does. I could hardly eat or sleep, I was so nervous. I rolled out of bed early Friday morning and put on my favorite Dallas t-shirt.

As I stuffed my literature book into my backpack, I began to wonder if I should skip class or not.

No, some part of me said. I'd gotten myself into this and whatever the consequences I had to face them.

That isn't to say I wasn't a bundle of nerves when I got to class. I got to the door in the HSS building and stood outside for a few minutes. I could do this, I told myself. It was just another boring day in British Lit.

Yeah, right!

I went in, knees wobbling. I thought I'd pass out as my eyes first scanned the room. No sign of Sarah yet. I exhaled for the first time in several seconds.

I wandered over to my usual seat and flopped down. I had just opened my bookback to fish out my literature book when she walked in. Her green eyes scanned the room. They came to rest on me.

I looked away quickly. I felt her eyes. I looked up. She gave me a sweet little smile.

My heart melted.

She went over to her seat and sat down. Her finger went up to her hair and started twirling.

Whatever we discussed about Henry V I don't remember. My mind was replaying the scene over adn over again. What did that smile mean? Was it good? Was it bad? Was she laughint at me or was she interested? Had I made a complete and total fool of myself?

Questions haunted me as I went to the VAX that afternoon. I opened my account. As I logged in, the computer beeped at me.

You have 4 new Mail messages the screen said.

I swallowed hard. I could barely control my nerves as I typed in the command to open the mail.

The first two messages were from my friends. I barely noticed them.

Then, I got to the third one.

From: SGREENL
To: SINCLAIR
Subject: RE: An odd message...

Mark,

I must admit that your little note intrigues me. It's not often that you meet a guy as forward as yourself. It must take a lot of guts to send a message like that.

I think anyone that daring at least deserves a chance to get to know me a little better. And I would LOVE to get to know someone like you.

Why don't you e-mail with an idea of what you'd like to do.

Looking forward to your reply,
Sarah

I just sat there, transfixed. Stunned into silence. Excitement welled through jme. I know I had a smile on my face three miles wide. I could have burst out into song right then and there but I was afraid I would embarass myself.

What was I going to do, I wondered.

Well, I thought to myself, you are going to have to come up with one hell of date to impress this girl.

Oh boy, I thought. This was going to be interesting.

I hit the R key to reply to her message. The screen flashed and I was once again presented with a blank screen. The great green void seemed to stare back at me. My fingers hovered over the keys and begn to strike them, gently at first but becoming more rapid.

Sarah,

I would love the opportunity to take you up on your offer. Here is my proposal.

Why don't we have brunch Sunday at Regas and then spend the afternoon together at the Knoxville Museum of Art? I hear they are having a special reading by some local Tennessee writers that I think would be worth hearing. Then, we could end with a walk under the leaves together down by the river.

I hope this sounds appealing.

Mark.

I hit control Z and the message was off.

Needless to say, I didn't sleep well again the night. I was eagerly anticipating the message. I could barely keep myself from running to the VAX every ten minutes to check my messages.

The next morning, I logged in adn found a note saying I had two messages.

The first was from my best friend. I skimmed it, intended to come back to it later.

The second was from Sarah.

From: SGREENL
To: SINCLAIR
Subject: I'd love to!

Mark,

Sounds like a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Please pick me up at Humes Hall at 11 a.m. Sunday morning and we can do brunch.

This is rather exciting!

Sarah

This couldn't be happening to me, I thought. This was like one of those romantic movies like Sleepless in Seattle or something. More like Sleepless in Knoxville, I thought to myself.

This is rather exciting she had said in her note. What did that mean, I asked myself. Oh well, I guess I could find out tomorrow.

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