Key to My Heart

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By

Amanda L. Pugh

To get the key to my heart placed in the palm of your hand…heed these words.

As I am not a high maintenance woman, you might think I would find this easy to write. But it was quite the opposite once I set down to put my thoughts on this topic on paper.

For a start, first thing you can do to win my heart is give me an intelligent conversation. And don’t be pretentious about it either. Engage my brain so my heart gets at least interested. There is no more powerful aphrodisiac to me than a man that knows what he is talking about. And don’t try to BS your way through it either. I’m a teacher – trust me I will know.

Second, be kind to those around you. Be kind to animals – even the ugly ones. Pet the kittens at PetSmart. Say hi to the neighbor who walks her dogs on your street, even pet them occasionally (the dogs, not the neighbor, that might get you arrested). Volunteer for a cause that is dear to your heart and thereby show an interest in your fellow human beings and their lives, their feelings, their needs.

Be nice to people who wait on you at stores and restaurants. I have worked retail before and it can be a thankless job, so any appreciation given to the service industry folks gets you bonus points in my book. Plus, you should always be nice to people who are responsible for your food and drinks. That’s common sense.

Third, know how to cook something that doesn’t involve only opening a can or dialing a delivery number. It doesn’t have to be fancy either – I’m a sucker for a good burger or steak. Know your way around a cookbook and the baking aisle at the supermarket. Bonus points for creativity.

Fourth, be a little self-sufficient. It would be comforting to know that if the grid were to go down and a zombie apocalypse were to descend upon us, we would stand a snowball’s chance in hell of surviving. Know how to exist without the electronic extremities our society has become far too dependent on.

Fifth, be thirsty for knowledge. As a friend of mine once said, “Let me never be content with my unending ignorance of the world and its riches.” Never stop desiring to learn, whether it be a new skill, a new language, or a new art form. Fear of change and learning is never a good thing.

See? I don’t want much at all.

Amanda L. Pugh

Amanda Pugh is an adjunct professor of communications at Jackson State Community College in Jackson TN. She has been writing for as long as she can remember, both short stories and poetry, and it’s one her favorite things to do besides drink coffee and teach. Her work has appeared in The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, Tennessee’s Best Emerging Poets, Our Jackson Home, Down in the Dirt, and Spilled Ink (the literary journal of Jackson State Community College).

Contact: [email protected]