Kate Fox
Caller 103 Wins the Madonna Tickets
She’s counting
one elephant, two elephant
like waiting for fake tan to dry
or the blue line on a pregnancy test.
He’s counting
green lights on the phone board.
Numbered up to seven
not one hundred and three.
He sees seven flashing green,
adjusts his jeans
prepares to choose.
She’s got a feeling in her water
she says to her Mum,
starts to press redial.
He’s got to get a caller to air now,
jabs buttons, “Hello” and “Keep trying”
rejects too old voices, not quite right voices.
She’s listening to her inner self,
like it says in Cosmo,
doing it when it feels right.
He’s listening for someone
who’ll go off like a rocket on bonfire night,
just a breath’s enough to tell.
She hears the phone being picked up
and everything goes blurry.
He shouts “You’re lucky caller 103!”
and has to turn his headphone volume down.
Triumphant, buzzing,
telling her Mum
she knew she’d be caller 103, she just knew.
Replaying her reaction,
telling his producer
he knows how to pick a screamer, he just knows.
Page(s) 46
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