New Age

"No she's actually pretty cool. She's hot yeah." Dave continued his start-stop-start methods of revealing his Jen situation to Ryan A.

"Sure. Dude, just ask her out," Ryan responded.

"Yeah, I mean I'm talking to her more and we went to the Goldfinger concert. . . but Angelo and Steve were there so yeah."

"Just go to a concert alone with her, then."

"True."

Sunday evening led into Monday morning without hesitation. Time seemed to move a little faster with so much to look forward to. Jen wouldn't reject a chance to catch the Supervillains live. It probably won't be that romantic, but it's a start, Dave thought. The first half of school that Monday was little more than people moving and words being thrown at him. The last time Dave was so pensive was about a year ago, when he reviewed his then-current religious pursuits. His thoughts now, though, were fully and impenetrably optimistic -- Dave didn't drown in self sabotage, ever.

"So, open Dreamweaver. We definitely need to work on our site maps. Our biotech sites were, um -- well, we had some good ones, Sabrina, Alison, yeah," the benign teacher began. Dave heard the words, but listened to Jen's confused clicking, her mouse moving arrhythmically, her lazy air. Thanks to Wilbur V, Dave survived the class, barely behind.

Jen and Dave walked out together, for a minute talking about the latest Web Design project. Dave brought up the Supervillains concert after a quick silence, but before he started on the particulars, Jen exclaimed, "Supervillains!"

"Yeah. I saw them once -- they were with Slightly Stoopid," Dave revealed, eagerly.

"Cool, I love their style." Jen paused. Dave's subsequent mumble was overthrown by Jen's inquiry on the concert's date.

"The fifteenth at Wellmont. They're not that popular; wanna just go together?"

"Cool," Jen said, with a hint of apathy.

The lovebirds arrived at the science wing, and they drifted apart, ending Monday's charming morning. Jen entered Chemistry with an ironic smile on her face; Dave entered Human Physiology carefree, knowing life was pretty good. Those tees aren't getting old anymore!

Life was working out harder than that gay kid Dave saw once. Mr. C made a list of Jen's best features -- number one was her ever-knowing brown eyes. He stopped smoking crack. He landed a job at Poppa Rapper's Pizzeria. He created a new musical genre called "popcore" and directed the independent feature film Ska Love You.

Those three days were the most beautiful he had ever tasted. But it was Thursday -- concert today. Thursday -- Jen today. Friday -- shut up Nick Rapper, we'll shoot that turkey when we locate it. "Thursday, October 15th, 2009," Dave proclaimed, with exhilarating clarity, seconds after he awoke. He had pronounced the date -- now to seize her name. Oh Jen, oh Madam Jennifer. Date, name -- what's missing? Period, duh. That's easy. We've entered the Nothing Can Stop Me era, the period of extended good fortune and interminable confidence.