Carol, an ex girlfriend

As an experiment, you decided to try out whether your ‘power,’ or whatever it is, would work in different ways. So far you seem to be able to persuade people fairly easily when talking face to face, but would it, perhaps, work over the phone? Or in writing? Text messages?

Scrolling through the contacts on your phone you stopped at Carol’s number. You hadn’t spoken to Carol for a couple of months; the two of you were in a relationship until about eighteen months ago, but you broke it off after she confessed to getting drunk at a party and sleeping with a guy she worked with. She confessed straight away, and clearly felt bad about the whole thing, but at the time you decided that was the end.

However, whenever you do catch up with Carol you do get the impression that she would like to try again – she still apologises for what she did, and is keen to stay in touch. It might be, you consider, that she might be more easily influenced than most other people you know.

You spent a little time tapping out a text message, just to see what would happen.

‘Hello Carol, how are you? I was just thinking we haven’t spoken for a while, are you free on Saturday evening? Fancy catching up?’

It only took ten minutes for her to reply:

‘Hi Sam! That’s weird, I was just thinking about you! I’d love to! Just say where and when x’

Just thinking about you? That’s interesting; you wondered if that could be part of your power? Probably not, but worth remembering.

‘Shall I cook dinner? My place, about 7? Are you still vegetarian?’

You knew full well she is pescatarian, but you were also pretty sure that a question like that about ‘still’ being vegetarian should be enough to make somebody think that actually, yes, they were vegetarian and had been for a while.

‘Sounds good x I eat fish just no meat x’

Okay, either you didn’t word it properly, or it doesn’t work over text. You decided to call her.

‘Hello Carol! Sorry, I thought I’d give you a ring to see what you might fancy eating on Saturday. How are you?!’

‘Hi Sam, I’m good! Long time no see, I’d love to come for dinner!’

‘Perfect, did we say 8?’

‘You said 7, but I can come at 8 if that’s better?’

You knew that was a weak one. But she didn’t just go along with your change of time.

‘Oh yes, sorry. 7 is perfect.’ Here we go, this was the test: ‘I was thinking of maybe doing pasta with prawns, but I read a thing the other day which said that pescatarians can’t eat seafood. Apparently seafood has been reclassified as meat.’

‘Oh, well some people just don’t like seafood, but it’s still fine. I love prawns, so that sounds good!’

You were sure that mention of having ‘read a thing’ would normally do the trick. Either Carol is immune or you need to be actually communicating in person. Good to try this out, before you became too cocky and got into trouble. You exchanged a few more pleasantries before ending the call.