THE SURPRISE
                               
      He'd tossed and he'd turned, too excited to sleep
           (Though he'd never confess such a flaw).
       Her Christmas surprise had, indeed, been a joy.
              He found himself wond'ring in awe
                               
       At how she had known just the right thing to do
         That would thrill him and cause him to feel
      That she thought enough of him to ask him to town
            While she secretly cooked him a meal.
                               
          He'd risen quite early with no clear idea
                Of what he was going to write,
       But he wanted to tell her in just the right way
          Just how much he'd enjoyed it last night.
                               
       He finished the note and went off to his chores.
             His good mood turned work into play.
        His business completed, he drove to her house
         Though she'd said she'd be shopping all day.
                               
           He'd never expected to find her at home.
              The prospects to see her were dim,
         But there she was, sitting inside of her car
             Looking gorgeous, as usual, to him.
                               
      She told him that she, too had gotten up thinking,
              Recalling the evening's delights.
  She thought that last night had been filled with enjoyment:
           The good food, the company, the lights.
                               
       He turned to walk off.  She was trying to leave
           For appointments she won't want to miss.
  He heard her say "Thanks", and, before he thought better,
                 Impulsively blew her a kiss.
                               
  ("Oh, no!") he thought quickly.  ("You've blown it, you fool!")
            ("She's never encouraged that tack.")
      ("You deserve what you get if she flashes and says
           That she wants you to never come back!")
                               
      ("But she's so attractive;  you know in your heart
           That you've wanted to kiss her before.")
        ("Though she's never offered so much as a hug
           When you've escorted her to her door.")
                               
     In this briefest of moments he watched her reaction.
                 Would she ignore, or attack?
     But then, something he'd never dreamed would occur:
            She smiled, and she blew him one back.