Ten thousand, twenty, twenty-five—closed. Fifty thousand—signed. Next call. Seventy-five, a hundred thousand— Wait. Let me take that in. I’ve never put my life online I like a day nobody sees But I can picture booking flights And someone introducing me I’d hear my name, get to my feet With what I made there on a screen And find my voice out loud For something I believe I could want to go And wish that I could hide Then book the flight before I’m ready And call you from outside I’d step into the light For something bigger than my fears Let people see my face If it helps somebody else be heard And you’d get the call With all my words coming out too fast You’d listen till I caught my breath Then find a way to make me laugh Ten thousand, twenty, twenty-five—closed. Fifty thousand—signed. Next call. Seventy-five, a hundred thousand— Two hundred thousand. Read it back. Two-fifty, three hundred thousand— Next call waiting. Hold that thought. Three-fifty, four hundred thousand— Give me a second. That’s a lot. Someone might say, “I asked my doctor What I couldn’t ask before This time I knew what he was saying And we could talk a little more.” Someone else might write a sentence And stay there half the night Surprised by all he had inside Once he sat down to write I’d keep those words with me And read them waiting for my turn Before I let them see my face Remember whose trust I have to earn I’d step into the light For something bigger than my fears Let people see my face If it helps somebody else be heard And you’d get the call With all my words coming out too fast You’d listen till I caught my breath Then find a way to make me laugh I’d love to tell you, “It’s working.” I’d love to say, “They signed.” Then ask about your day And take my time with mine We could talk until we’ve said it all Or neither has a thing to say I’d still want things we keep between us And days I never give away [Final counting — overlapping voices, rising] A hundred thousand—closed. Two hundred thousand—signed. Three hundred thousand— Next call on the line. Four hundred thousand— Five hundred thousand— Half a million. Say that again. I’d step into the light For something bigger than my fears Let people see my face If it helps somebody else be heard And you’d get the call Before I’d figured out what’s next I’d try to tell you every number You’d ask me how I am instead Excited. Overwhelmed. You got a minute? Let me tell you.
