(after Jeanann Verlee)
When the phone rings, do not pick up.
When your phone buzzes ‘text message received,’ delete it.
When you are out at night and he keeps following the same girl out to smoke,
tell him you are going home.
Then go home.
When he leaves his phone on the bed to shower,
do not try to figure out the passcode.
When he leaves his phone on the bed to shower and the phone rings,
do not pick up.
When your friends call asking you to go dancing,
put on the shortest dress you own and say yes.
When that shitty song he likes comes on the radio, change the station.
When his ex-girlfriend texts you at 3 in the morning,
do not threaten her, do not curse at her,
tell her she can have him.
When he finally strolls in at 4,
do not convince yourself that he’s fucking you because he loves you.
When his blond bimbo co-worker hugs him at the Christmas party, smile at her,
do not hit on his boss.
When he makes a drunken scene on the side of the road and the cops show up,
let them arrest him.
When he leaves the room to take a phone call,
do not put your ear to the door.
When he says he will call and the phone rings three days later,
do not pick up.
When someone tells you they saw him out to dinner with someone who is not you,
do not say they must be mistaken.
When you confront him and he pushes you, strike back.
When he apologizes and begs you to stay, leave him.
When you come home and your pillow smells different, leave him.
When you come home and he has not, leave him.
When you come home and her car is in the drive way, do not get out of the car.
When you can see two figures in the bedroom window, do not get out of the car.
Do not cry.
Do not leave a note.
When the phone rings, do not pick up.
When your phone buzzes ‘text message received,’ delete it.
When you are out at night and he keeps following the same girl out to smoke,
tell him you are going home.
Then go home.
When he leaves his phone on the bed to shower,
do not try to figure out the passcode.
When he leaves his phone on the bed to shower and the phone rings,
do not pick up.
When your friends call asking you to go dancing,
put on the shortest dress you own and say yes.
When that shitty song he likes comes on the radio, change the station.
When his ex-girlfriend texts you at 3 in the morning,
do not threaten her, do not curse at her,
tell her she can have him.
When he finally strolls in at 4,
do not convince yourself that he’s fucking you because he loves you.
When his blond bimbo co-worker hugs him at the Christmas party, smile at her,
do not hit on his boss.
When he makes a drunken scene on the side of the road and the cops show up,
let them arrest him.
When he leaves the room to take a phone call,
do not put your ear to the door.
When he says he will call and the phone rings three days later,
do not pick up.
When someone tells you they saw him out to dinner with someone who is not you,
do not say they must be mistaken.
When you confront him and he pushes you, strike back.
When he apologizes and begs you to stay, leave him.
When you come home and your pillow smells different, leave him.
When you come home and he has not, leave him.
When you come home and her car is in the drive way, do not get out of the car.
When you can see two figures in the bedroom window, do not get out of the car.
Do not cry.
Do not leave a note.
When the phone rings, do not pick up.