• "I'm getting so sick of all this hocus-pocus."
    "What are you thinking?"
    "I have no idea, except for one."
    "Okay. Well, what is it?"
    "It's a secret."
    "Ugh, not this again."
    "What?"
    "Oh, you know 'what'. I try to get a conversation started and it ends up being a in-depth conversation about 'life', 'love', etc."
    "I have no idea what you're talking about. I thought that this conversation was taking a turn for randomville."
    "Ri-ight, okay. So, what are you thinking?"
    "Um, you already asked me that."
    "Yes, but you didn't answer."
    "Oh, right. Hehe. I was just thinking..."
    "Abo-out?"
    "Oh, it's silly."
    "Ugh, I wish you would just tell me."
    "That's what I thinking about."
    "What? Wait, wishing?"
    "Yes, wishing. I told you it was silly."
    "I don't think that's silly at all."
    "Really? How come?"
    "Because, I believe."
    "Believe? In what, wishing?"
    "No, not exactly."
    "Then what?"
    "Magic."
    "Wait, you mean like fairytales, pixie dust, unicorns, and things like that?"
    "Yes...well, sort of."
    "What do you mean, 'sort of'?"
    "I mean 'magic' in a more 'realistic' sense."
    "For example?"
    "Like sitting on a park bench, watching the sun set over the city skyline."
    "That's not 'magic'."
    "Wait, I'm not finished. You're sitting there, not really expecting anything. When all of a sudden, you feel it."
    "Feel what?"
    "Love. You're sitting next to her on the park bench, and she's pretty, no, beautiful. And you think, 'Oh, someone like her is too good for someone like me.'. But then, just as you're about to give up hope, she turns and smiles at you. And it's the most beauiful smile you've ever seen. And you're about to say 'Hello' but she turns to leave and you feel that it's too late."
    "Aw, that's so sad."
    "Hold on, let me finish. When she gets up to leave, you notice that she's forgotten her purse. Yes, the chance for the ultimate 'gentleman-like' move, returning a missing purse to a beautiful woman. Everything plays out in your mind like a silly, love-at-first-sight moment from an old black-and-white film. You pick up her purse, catch up to her, tap her shoulder gently to get her attention, then smile and say, "I believe you left your purse, miss." and she'll say something like, "Oh, thank you for returning it to me. That was so kind of you." and the rest of it plays out happily from there."
    "Aw. But, wait, that's not magic."
    "Oh, isn't it?"
    "No, it's not."
    "And why do you say that?"
    "Because that's 'romance', or 'love'."
    "But isn't love a form of magic?"
    "Well, ma-aybe."
    "Isn't the feeling you get the same?"
    "I guess so. Sort of."
    "Sort of?"
    "I don't know, it still seems kind of silly."
    'Well, that's what I feel."
    "You feel silly?"
    "No."
    "Then what?"
    "Love."
    "I thought that you had been acting a little differently lately. So, who is she? Do I know her?"
    "Yes, and yes."
    "Well?"
    "Well what?"
    "Aren't you going to tell me?"
    "Tell you what?"
    "Who you're in love with!"
    "Oh, that. Right. Hm, how about a hint?"
    "I'm not in the mood for games, hun."
    "Okay, okay."
    "Well, have you at least told her?"
    "Told her what?"
    "How you feel!"
    "Right, um. Not exactly..."
    "Not exactly? What's that supposed to mean?"
    "Well, I haven't flat-out told her yet."
    "You should."
    "Why?"
    "Because, what if she feels the same?"
    "I doubt that."
    "That's silly."
    "Oh, really?"
    "Yes, really. If you love her, tell her. Otherwise she'll never know and you might end up spending the rest of your life regreting it."
    "Do you mean that?"
    "Yes, of course I do."
    "Okay, then. I will."
    "Good. When will you do it?"
    "I'm not sure. I want it to be perfect."
    "Well, the sooner the better, I think."
    "Okay, do you mind if I tell you something?"
    "Sure, hun. You know I'll always be here for you, and that includes listening."
    "I love you."
    ...
    "I-I love you too."