Romance, Slice of Life, Character Study

The Pangolin and the Sunflower

His Shyness, Her Bloom, and an Unlikely Love Story

Meeting him on Facebook Dating, an app I’d sworn off, added to the feeling of serendipity. But when he found out I was a writer, his genuine interest took me by surprise. He actually read my work! Unlike others who just promised they would, he came back to talk about it. His attention was intoxicating – a writer needs a partner who supports their craft, a muse, a source of lifeforce energy. Little did I know, inside, he felt like a pangolin, a shy creature who curled up tight.

Our connection blossomed through text messages, a slow and steady dance like a budding flower reaching for the sun, like in India. Arie’s song “Steady Love.”

I, content in my written world, appreciated the lack of pressure for calls. It suited us both. For now, I find it endearing, a charming quirk beneath his brave exterior.

Firefighters might be brave, but phone shyness? Surprisingly common. Maybe it was the difficulty expressing himself over the phone, or a touch of social anxiety. Or maybe his shyness was reserved just for me – a thought that made me smile. Time will tell, but there was a delicious anticipation of him calling.