A Foolish Arrangement Lyrics

Lyric discussion by SirSantos 

Cover art for A Foolish Arrangement lyrics by Cure, The

Giving this one a try...

Could it be a flirting situation ("It's the same old game / Only fun with two!".)

The first part would be about how she's trying to catch his attention ("... / Throwing me her bravest smile / Defiant / Glittering / Shivering guile").

"Catching a cold is quick this time / But fish? / Fish may take a while." would be about how something frivolous is within grasp (buying her a drink, a cold one) but something more permanent might be out of hand.

Then "Christabel dips and slips from me / ..." indicates how she's playing hard to get. This game appears to be paying off as "Everything she tries to tell me / Leaves me open mouthed and still".

After a while at this game she appears to give in into a relationship "Christabel trips / And grips my hand / But never to be saved". Such relationship was not based on love but on conformity and it's doom - "See you change into the man I want / But it's not for long this thing / It's not for long".