I was outside Julie's residence, and I had been standing there for half an hour. I had no idea what I wanted to say, and it was driving me nuts. Dumbstruck, I decided to turn around and think away from the house, but I then saw Sam and Emily standing there for quite a while.
"Evening Jem," Emily said. "We've been watching you for the past half hour standing there doing nothing, what's going on?"
"Emily, you're looking at a boy who's scared, scared that if he knocks on that door, she won't let him in." I answered.
"Well, one sure thing, you won't get in, if you don't knock!" Emily said, annoyed. "Stand up to the girl like a man, just let her know you run the show, and she'll go along with the plan."
"She's right, Jem," Sam said. "You have to stand up to the girl like a guy, and tell her to behave herself."
Emily sat me down on a nearby bench, and said, "If she wants to make wait, don't get in no big debate. Don't beg and plead and pray to the girl, just stand up straight and say to the girl: How long do we gotta talk it over? How long do we gotta horse around? I'd tell you to your face I want you, and you drive me nuts, but all I ever get from you is 'ifs' and 'ands' and 'buts! How long do we gotta race the motor before we can really get to go? How long do you make a fella guess how sweet you are, before you will really let him go?"
I started to understand what they were trying to do, but I was still having a hard gathering all the courage, before Sam said, "The man I used to be, would make a fricassee of any chick who tried to get tough."
"The man I used to be, had an old recipe for calling any feminine bluff." I added. "You'd start being sweet gentle, then you wind up firm and rough."
"That's the stuff!" Sam said. "Stand up to the girl!"
"I'll say to the girl: How long do we gotta talk it over? How long do we gotta horse around? How long do you believe that you can keep me on the hook? How long do you believe that you can play me for a snook? How long must I walk alone at evening, while stars squander silver on the lake? How long till you open up your arms and let me know how warm, and how lovely they can be?"
"Toughen it up, Jem!" Sam and Emily yelled. "Stand up to the girl, like a man!"
I got up, and I walked towards the house with a newly found confidence, there was no way I was going to turn back now.