# Maybe I'm just a cold, unromantic bastard... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 21, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047 "2004-12-21T21:01:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/1 "2004-12-21T21:01:48Z")
…but I just pulled a book off of my shelf, a copy of the complete works of Emily Dickenson that I had bought for a dollar at a used book sale at UMD before I had graduated. I open to the title page and find the following note: _I wish we could recite them all, together. Love always Emmy -1983_ I got love always for the low low price of a buck! Call me crazy, I have to think the relationship failed to reach always. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/2 "2004-12-21T21:10:47Z")
I shouldn’t have laughed. I know I shouldn’t have. But I did. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/3 "2004-12-21T21:13:50Z")
Aww, that’s so sad. ☹ _sniff_ Sorry, slight cynicism failure there. Well, it is almost Christmas. [Nelson] Ha-haaa! [/Nelson] That’s better. ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/4 "2004-12-21T22:29:04Z")
> [@Only Mostly Dead](#): > > _I wish we could recite them all, together. > Love always > Emmy > -1983_ You sure it doesn’t say **EMILY**? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/5 "2004-12-21T22:47:18Z")
Hm, in retrospect… in that book I gave my ex, I should have written the inscription: \*Give me back my damn CDs you cheating skank! Belligerently, Crayons - 1997\* ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/6 "2004-12-21T22:49:23Z")
At least it would test the relationship right away, rather than waiting until that phrase would be justified. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/7 "2004-12-21T22:59:11Z")
I think so. Just jump to the end, y’know? ---
**Author:** ![emekthian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecae2f/32.png) [@emekthian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emekthian)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/8 "2004-12-22T00:03:50Z")
Maybe the poor girl got cancer and had to go through expensive medical treatments that the guy generously paid for. Maybe she died anyway leaving her desolated lover with a huge amount of debt and he ended up completely impoverished. With a heavy heart, he sold the book, the one last reminder of his one true love, to a used bookstore so he’d have enough money to buy some ramen and a cup of coffee. Or maybe he just caught her sleeping with his best friend behind his back. Either one. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/9 "2004-12-22T00:39:08Z")
That made me laugh, too. Then I thought of some past book inscriptions which I wish I could change to read “die, evil harpy”. Then I felt sad. I hope somewhere someone is reading them in a used bookstore and getting a good laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/10 "2004-12-22T01:53:11Z")
> [@emekthian](#): > > With a heavy heart, he sold the book, the one last reminder of his one true love, to a used bookstore so he’d have enough money to buy some ramen and a cup of coffee. This was purchased from a group of History grad students at the University of Maryland. So I don’t think the statement really holds up… Well, except for the ramen and coffee thing. That’s grad gourmet. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/11 "2004-12-22T03:34:01Z")
_tries not to laugh. Honest_ ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/12 "2004-12-22T03:46:30Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > _tries not to laugh. Honest_ Hey! [Make up your mind!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=293131) ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/13 "2004-12-22T03:57:39Z")
But, you see, that cheered me up. 😛 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/14 "2004-12-22T04:15:38Z")
Oh. Sorry. Forgot to check the time stamps… ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/15 "2004-12-22T04:20:39Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > But, you see, that cheered me up. 😛 😃 I win! And I didn’t even know I was supposed to be trying. You’re welcome 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-im-just-a-cold-unromantic-bastard/281047/16 "2004-12-22T05:50:47Z")
_big kiss_ Thank you!