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  • Alison Bert
  • is a writer who previously made her living as a classical guitarist and music professor.

    From 2000 to 2007, she was a reporter for The Journal News — the daily newspaper and Web site for Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties in New York.

    In the previous century, she was a Fulbright Scholar in Spain and one of 12 guitarists worldwide selected to study with Andrés Segovia in his historic master class of 1986. She went on to earn a doctorate in music from the University of Arizona and perform solo and chamber music on four continents. While teaching at Syracuse University, she wrote concert reviews for The Post-Standard and earned a master's degree in journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

    Portrait of Alison by Greg Bottali

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    When he doesn’t call

    Alison Bert on November 21st, 2007 | Filed under Dancing, Relationships

    So I raise the issue with said gentleman friend Saturday night, I’d like to think in the most diplomatic of tones, but then again I also like to think people mistake me for Eva Longoria.

    We have our first fight. I apologize, we talk it through and we end the evening on the best of terms. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he says, and kisses me goodnight.

    Tomorrow comes around. I occupy myself with a four-hour dance workshop I’m dying to tell him about. (Yes, he’s even more into dance than I am.) But he doesn’t call.

    I’m not the type to wait by the phone, but this time I leave it on after I go to bed.

    Monday’s a big day for me. I start a new job. Still no call. This isn’t like him. I wonder if he was in a car accident, perhaps driving off the road while distraught over our tiff. I google-news his name along with ‘collision.’ No hits. Let’s try ‘accident.’ Nothing. Why am I not ecstatic about this lack of news? I’m a really small person, I conclude.

    Tuesday I wonder if something’s wrong with my cell phone. Maybe he called and left a sweet message I never received. Now the poor guy’s thinking I’m blowing him off. I call my cell phone from my Skype line and leave a message. Shoot! The voicemail works just fine. Over dinner, I talk it through with a girlfriend. “I was supposed to meet his family for Thanksgiving,” I explain, between bites of arugula salad. She tells me to give him another day, he’s obviously thinking about things. Of course I’ll have to call him before Thanksgiving.

    Wednesday night. Still no call. Either he’s in a coma or being a total jerk. I opt to believe the former and feel a slight sense of relief. OK, enough already. I call his cell phone but hang up when his voicemail answers. Of course now he knows I called. And he still hasn’t called back.

    Could it be that he’s just not that into me? Thanks, Greg Behrendt, but my phone log shows a slew of prior calls he made to this number as proof that he is into me. Or was.

    So here I am in the wee hours of Thanksgiving morning. And yes, my phone is still on.



    7 Responses to “When he doesn’t call”

    1. Teri Says:

      This brings to mind a recent date of mine. It was my first string of five after my break up. After the first four somewhat decent dates where I felt nothing, I concluded that I just wasn’t ready to date yet. Then I had date five. Perfect date, lots of chemistry flying about and I was excited. I never heard from him. When asked by date six (an interrogation type date), about the mystery disappearance, I told him that obviously he had been killed on his way home. It was a certain hit-and-run, it was too bad… just my luck. Date six on the other hand, who was so taken with me that evening and asked for a dinner date the following week, disappeared as well. It’s incredible how unsafe this city is!

    2. Alison Bert Says:

      Thanks for sharing, Teri — and for making me smile! Have an awesome Thanksgiving.

    3. Krumhorn Says:

      Did he call?

    4. Alison Bert Says:

      Nope. And I have receive to believe that he’s not in a coma.

    5. Ken Says:

      Hey, Alison.

      The heck with him. Keep dancing.

      How’s the new job?

      - No longer a co-worker but still a friend.

    6. Alison Says:

      Ken, what a surprise! Thanks for stopping by. I will definitely take your advice.

      The job is great. And unlike last year, I didn’t wake up at 3:30 a.m. to interview Black Friday early birds at Wal-Mart. Please give my regards to the gang. …

    7. Krumhorn Says:

      Even if he thinks he has a beef, it’s beyond rude to change your Thanksgiving plans without so much as a call.

      I vote for giving him the toss. He has failed an important test.

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