Illustration by Melanie Mondini.
TEXTING SOPHIE ON BUMBLE.
The next morning, Kavanagh wakes up to a text message from a beautiful woman with hair as black as a raven. She has dark eyes, and she wears a swimsuit which shows her curves and her thighs.
Sophie. Hi.
Kavanagh. Hi Sophie, it’s nice to match with you. I see on your profile that you like yoga. I like yoga too, I practice it every day.
Sophie. Oh, that’s great. Yes, I like it a lot. How’s your day going?
Kavanagh. It’s going swimmingly. I just finished a poem and I’m meeting my publisher later. How’s your day going?
Hours pass by. Sophie doesn’t reply. It’s Sunday evening. Sophie has ghosted him. What the fuck is the point of all this?
TEXTING ON BUMBLE
Kavanagh. How about a coffee in 64 on Tuesday?
Sophie. Okay. I’ll get the dart.
Kavanagh. Perfect I’ll meet you at Sandycove and Glasthule dart station.
On Monday evening, Sophie texts Kavanagh.
Sophie. I had a problem. I have to attend a meeting tomorrow. I can’t go for a coffee. I’m so sorry. : (
Kavanagh. That’s all right Sophie, I understand. How about dinner in Toscana on Wednesday or Thursday night?
Days go by. No reply. Finally, she sends him a text.
Sophie. A coffee? At 1 p.m.?
Kavanagh. Yeah, that’s grand. See you at 64 at 1 p.m. tomorrow. Lunch is on me.
Sophie. Only a coffee.
Kavanagh. Grand. Only a coffee. : )
It’s 12: 15 p.m. Kavanagh hears his phone beep as he brushes his teeth before the date. He begins to retch, and he strides into the kitchen to fetch his phone. He opens a text from Sophie. Uh oh. No show.
Sophie. Hello, I hope you are very well. (Kavanagh inner monologue: I was until you texted me, you pain in the hole.)
Sophie. I won’t be able to go now. I went out for breakfast with the girls, and I have food poisoning. I think it’s best that we leave it for another day. If you don’t want to go on a date, I understand that too.
Kavanagh (inner monologue). You little cunt, that’s the last time you pull this stunt.
He texts her back.
Kavanagh. Rain cheque?
Kavanagh returns to work. His phone beeps as he matches with several more women on Bumble and Tinder. “Plenty of pussy out there.” he thinks to himself.
He gets an Instagram reel from Faisal and presses play.
ON THE PHONE.
There’s a video of a sports car. The following text appears against it:
“Nearly 25% of women are being treated for some form of mental illness. That means that 75% of women out there are walking around untreated. Stay safe fellas.”
Kavanagh roars with laughter. He texts Faisal back.
Kavanagh. That’s inappropriate Faisal.
Kavanagh reads the gender equality Health index for Europe and Ireland.
He learns that women in Ireland suffer from poorer mental well- being than men. Are women who ghost haunted the most?
After nightfall, it grows dark. Kavanagh lies down alone with his phone. Sophie lies down alone with her phone alone.
He. She suffers from anxiety.
She. I just can’t face him; will I ever be free?
He. I wish I could reach out to her back and rub it.
She. I have to get myself off; I’ll just rub my clit.
END OF PART 3.
If you like this narrative poem, you might like to buy my poetry book “Season of the Spirit” on Kindle for $6: https://www.amazon.com/Season-Spirit-Poems-Kennedy-Edward-ebook/dp/B08QVRH4XZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=PIGB6QV9BJDY&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.eJgqlg9Y971yL7axzz3KLw.PWaw9fxDO6tB8tsXvv0UtMaTa36k4OVz9KUHUfh6lqI&dib_tag=se&keywords=season+of+the+spirit%3A+poems+by+kennedy&qid=1717075220&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C431&sr=1-1
You can also buy poetry readings by me here for €9.99: www.kennedypictures.ie/poetry-readings
You can buy my critically acclaimed film “NAKED” here: www.journeyman.tv/film/7545
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