In order to properly tell this story, I have to take you back in time. We must travel back to a dark age when 28.8 k dialup was state-of-the-art and unlimited long distance calling was not even dreamed of. It started in a chat room where advanced graphics were smiley symbols and ASCII graphics. As a divorced thirty-something, I wandered into this world looking for a way to pass sometime after work. I had no idea what this simple diversion would lead to.
I met her and her sister along an extensive cast of characters in a Christian chat. Conversations ranged from the smallest of small talk to deep discussions regarding God, The Bible and denominational differences. At the time, I had given up on sexual relationships and the possibility of marriage. Gender was not an issue; all that mattered was interesting chat.
When we first met, conversations were mostly about denominational differences and the interpretation of Bible passages. There was nothing special about our chats, or the topics we discussed though she always seemed to be able to bring me around to her way of thinking. One night our relationship dramatically changed direction.
On this night I logged in, saw she and a few other friends were in the room, so I said individual hellos to each of them. The others responded but she did not. I didn't think much of this and figured she was in a private chat. I engaged in some general conversation in the room, and after a few minutes I noticed that she was typing in the main chat, so I said hello again. She still did not reply. A little bit latter I logged off for the night.
When I logged onto my account the next night I noticed she had sent me an e-mail. It wasn't long she just said hi and apologized for not having said hello the night before. I sent and equally brief reply telling her she had nothing to apology for. When I entered the room that night she said hello before I even had a chance to see who was in the room.
After a few minutes she invited me to a private chat, I agreed. For the first time we shared personal information. I found out that she was two years younger than I was and lived about eight hundred miles away. We chatted about our parents and brothers and sisters, and she asked me about my ex-wife. From that point forward we would private chat almost every night.
This went on for several months while we talked about our jobs, hobbies and pastimes. For some reason I was very open to her and told her things that not many others knew. One night she asked if I would like to talk to her on the phone. I was happy to say yes and soon I had her number and found myself dialing the phone.
Her voice was sweet and soothing. She told me how nice it was to hear my voice, and I said the same. She thanked me and told me that she had been told that her voice was relaxing and pleasant. I told her it was. She talked about how it was nice to relax at the end of the day, and I agreed. She said it was nice to unwind and get comfortable at the end of a long hard day, and how important a good night's sleep was. I don't remember much else about our conversation, but I must have been pretty tired because I woke up the next morning on my couch with the phone lying on the ground. Not even the disconnected beeping had woken me up, but I was refreshed and felt great.
When I logged onto my computer that evening, I had and e-mail from her. She told me I must have been very tired because I fell asleep on the phone. She suggested that I not login to the chat room, but call her at 8:00 PM her time so we could pick up where we left off when I feel a sleep. I immediately logged off of my computer and anxiously watched the clock waiting for 9:00 PM since she lived in a different timezone.
As soon as my clock struck nine, I dialed her number, and found myself relieved and relaxed as soon as I heard her hello. I apologized for having fallen asleep while we were talking. She stopped me mid-sentence and when she told me I was a very good boy for having called her on time. I was thrilled to have pleased her and it was not long before I was in the same wonderful relaxed state I had been in the night before. I was about to nod off again when she suggested that I go to bed and call her after I was in bed the next night.
She said she understood it made me tired to work soooo hard, and that she was glad that talking to her helped me relax. She suggested that in the future that I should call her from my bed; after all, it was much more comfortable to fall asleep in my bed than on the couch. She loved the thought that her voice would be the last thing I heard before I fell asleep. I don't remember much more of our conversation, but at least I woke up in my bed the next morning.
Though I tried my best to stay busy at work the next day, time seemed to crawl. Finally the day was over and I found myself undressed and in bed by 8:00 PM. I couldn't wait and called her. I was surprised that her answering machine picked up and told me that good boys were patient and would call at the proper time. I hung up and watched the minutes slowly tick by on my alarm clock. After what seemed more like a year than an hour, it read 9:00 PM. I dialed, and was pleased when she answered after the second ring. She explained that since I had called an hour a head of schedule that I had to be punished and that I would have to wait until 9:00 PM the next night to talk to her, but that she was sure I understood since she knew I wanted to be her good boy then she hung up.
I was devastated. She helped me relax. I needed to talk to her. I needed to hear her voice. I needed to please her, and I most definitely needed to be her good boy. I found I couldn't sleep, and by the end of the night I promised myself that I would always do what she said, so I could be her good boy. I called in sick the next morning, and spent the day moping around the house. I didn't dress, shower, eat or even drink a cup of coffee. I just watched every clock in the house as seconds turned into hours and hours into days.
Finally it was 9:00 PM and I was in bed dialing her number. As soon as she picked up, she said good boy you called at the right time. I was immediately relaxed and happy. She asked how my day had been, and I explained that I had called in sick and had been miserable because I had disappointed her. She told me that she was very sorry to hear that, but as long as I did what she said it wouldn't happen again. I promised that I would remember to do what she said from now on. I don't know how long we talked after that. Being awake for more than twenty-four hours left me beyond exhausted, so I was not surprised to find that I had fallen asleep while on the phone. I felt very refreshed and was determined to make up for my missed day at work. I imagined that everything I did that day was done in her service and before I knew it the day was over and it was 9:00 PM.
Now I was in bed by 9:00 pm every night talking to her. She said that it might be easier for me if I worked late so that I did not have to wait so long at home to call her. Like all of her ideas this was a good one, and I began working late every night. I even began working some Saturdays. I looked forward to our phone call all day and woke up refreshed every morning. I soon realized that I had fallen deeply and completely in love with my phone goddess. Soon I could not remember not ending my day on the phone with her.
