Origami Survives Poem by Kara Johnstad

Radio babble babble -
Desk swept clear. Yesterday's table.
He had dinner with me last night.
Proper...yes, ever so proper was he.
A tiny bread crumb fell
I cunningly try to divert his attention
with my hand movements and laughter
'you should be an actress'
'me? ' I say coyly-? ? -'I am, but why do you say that? ? ? '
'cause you try to pretend that I didn´t see,
what you just did, ' ha ha ha
high awkward laughs escape his small lips
When the evening draws to an end.
We stand at the door -
20 chopticks between us and a bowl of silence
His exact and small mannerisms and soft spoken voice
make me nervous.
Facing hallway awkwardness,
he takes a quick breath and asks courageously,
'Kar(l) a, would it be possible for me to give you a hug? '
Eyebrows up, eyes widened.

How odd. How sweet. What an evening.
Folded into a bird.
Origami survives.