Who is crossing your mind right now, v.2

A blast from the past. I forgot when I put this scent on today how much it reminds me of him and dark booths tucked in corners with music we weren’t listening to.

*Sigh*
 
Several decades ago, my best friend and I were visiting my grandmother with my mother and my little sister. And, being a couple of high school jocks full of hormones, we were pretty well bored out of our minds out there on a farm thirty miles from anything that might be considered civilization. So, we talked my mother into loaning us the keys to her truck and headed into town for a little fun. And when we got there, we found out why she'd been laughing when she handed them over. The ONLY thing open was a Sonic drive-in. And we were, quite literally, the only people out and about except the people working at Sonic.

Rather than heading back, we sat there in our letter jackets and skin-tight 501s and waited for some fries and shakes. And Jack looks over at me and comments that the gal is pretty good looking. I agreed that she was. And after a little bit, the guy that was working with her comes out and clues us in that she was listening to us through the speaker.

Well, to keep a long story somewhat short enough that maybe the ones with the attention span equivalent of a goldfish won't harp, she decided that she was going to give her name and address and phone number to one of us. And she wanted us to get out of the truck and "work for it." The thing is, Jack was Mr. Cool, a good lookin' kid and in the running for Mr. High School Popularity. I didn't figure I had a chance. And, to be honest, couldn't really see the point anyway. So, when we got out, Jack did his "I'm a cool jock" stance with his feet shoulder width apart and his hands clasped in front of his groin. Me, on the other hand, I stripped off the letter jacket and started doing flex poses. We bailed back in the pick-up, laughing our asses off, and Jack giving me a good natured drubbing for being a clown.

But, for some reason, when she sent out the napkin with her name, address, and phone number, she had the guy give it to me. I'm not sure which of us was more stunned. I mean, don't get me wrong. I had probably more than my fair share of luck with the ladies. But, I typically had to go further than thirty miles from where I went to school with the same fifty people from kindergarten to cap and gown. AND Jack couldn't be there. (Yeah, he was that good looking.)

Any road, after she assured us (we asked) that she did mean for me to have it over him, I kept it.

And wrote to her.

A couple of weeks after I did, I hadn't gotten any response, so I called her, wanting to know why she wasted our time and hurt my friend. She wasn't there. I talked to her mom a little bit. I probably could have been nicer. Should have been. The last thing I said was that until I heard back from her, I wouldn't bother her again.

About a year later, I was back out at Grandma's for Christmas. And I don't recall now just what caused me to bring her up. (I could still remember her name at that point, but can't all these decades later.) And was told that she'd been killed by a drunk driver.

Me being me, and coincidence being against my religion, I did some digging. And, sure enough. She'd been killed almost exactly at the time I'd been on the phone with her mom. So, not long after I'd just been a tool about her daughter not writing me back, she'd gotten another, even worse call. (I'd actually checked because I'd been wondering if she'd had that call before she'd gotten mine and I'd been a dick while she'd been grieving.)

I can't recall her name all this time later. And I don't really know just why she came to mind tonight. I can't really even be said to have known her.

But, from time to time over the decades, I've thought of that girl from Sonic. And her mother.

And the memory has reminded me to avoid being a dick since I have absolutely no idea just what fresh Hell is about to be dumped on this person from somewhere else.
 
More of a "how" about a who

Working nights doesn't do me any favors. I'm sitting here wondering how a seemingly happy marriage to my high school sweetheart ended so bluntly and abruptly with nothing to point to for the reason. She says she just didn't love me like that anymore, but it feels so off. It seems shady and there's never been an issue to go from happy to separated like this before. But now I pick up the pieces at 27, still young, but feeling older by the day. I've always called myself an old soul but this just adds to that feeling. I think about her and us, but mostly what happened. I dont have any answers still, and I'm not confident ill get any ever. But I'm healthy, employed and I've got my family. So cheers to that. Hopefully 2021 won't suck (as much) like last year lmao.
 
Daddy Wolf...

I can hear a gentle rain falling outside, beating out a soft staccato across the roof.
For whatever reason, the beat of the rain reminds me of the sound of your heart when I rest my cheek upon your chest.
Your arms tucking me snuggly against you, where I belong.
 
Long black trains, traveling into the distance, lonesome tones a-calling in the night...

Obviously posted this in the wrong thread but...people I've lost.
 
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