Her birthday’s today. A special bouquet, custom made for you.
“Space is what I need.” is what she said…
Cold, & firm – didn’t even let me in to get my stuff…
Slams the door is all she did…
As I turn around and head back to the car, my grip loosens & I can’t hold onto the disappointment. That special bouquet of pink, yellow & red roses, slips from my fingers and falls into the reflective puddle. It’s stark, cold reflection, is broken by the slow ripples of sadness spreading thru the surface.
“A dreadful, stormy night ahead and the music on the radio is lame!” I say to myself as if expecting a bit of sympathy. Nothing, will be able to soften the mood today – maybe not even music.
OK PowerMix cassette! “Lets see if you can lift my spirits, once again!”
Sure enough a mellow, sad song comes up mid stride…
♫“I’ve been waiting for you…
Signed with a home tattoo
Happy birthday to you
was created for you.” ♫
“how ironic… I would have done anything for her.”
Sitting back into the bucket seat, I just try to dwell in the sounds of irony…
Pulling up to a red light, I get a pause to contemplate the moment. I put my head back on the head rest & close my eyes for a second. A sudden sensation that someone is watching me, smacked me in the face! I open my eyes and look to the car to my left. Two guys sitting in the front. The passenger with long, stringy blond hair and the scruffy driver with short messy black hair – thinning on the sides and balding on the forehead. Being caught, they quickly look away.
“Hmm that’s odd…” that driver seems very familiar. “I’ve seen his face before…” When I look back the car drives off.
♫Words, playing me deja vu
Like a radio tune
I swear I’ve heard before… ♫
I drive on as if this smack didn’t hit me. Really, it didn’t mean anything anyway… My attention goes back to the comfortable moment with Duran Duran on my stereo – just trying to dismiss the worst day of my life.
“It doesn’t matter anyway… I didn’t need her. It was all just a fun game of Cat-n-Mouse…” I say out loud knowing its a white lie but trying to convince myself that its better this way.
“I got entangled in her sharp claws but instead of running, I stayed…”
I pull into the Hess gas station and decided to call a few friend to reconnect – you know – see where they’re hanging out. “Ring, ring, ring…” is all the receiver would volunteer. They have all moved on to their own cat-and-mouse games.
“I might as well go home & put these pieces back together again.” I tell myself in a tone of surrender & with the strong desire for this day to be over!
Heading down Military Trail, the traffic is flowing slowly & below the speed limit. I just get lost in the tune of the music & the soothing rumble of my Camaro…
♫“Lost, in a snow filled sky
We’ll make it alright to come undone”♫
Trying to obliterate the last few moments, my mind returns to the trip home. It seemed shorter, but glad that it’s coming to an end. As I put my blinkers on to make the right turn onto Purdy Lane, I notice something weird in my rear view mirror.
“Hey! it’s those two guys who were starring at the red light!” What are they doing here? “Have they been following me?” In a split second my mind shuffles thru what seems like a flash of a hundred faces…
“Shit! that’s her X!!” I knew I’ve seen that face before – a picture of a weary guy hidden in a drawer…
He’s a tall, lanky guy. Wearing a white t-shirt, beaten & transparent from obsessive over-use. Just a blue-collar guy, with scruffy hair. He seems weary from trying to put his life together again with her. No wonder he wants to get out his frustrations on me!
As I make the turn, he speeds up & tries to ram my rear bumper. I hit the gas to get him to miss & he spins out onto the oncoming lane. My tires, startled by all this sudden excitement, squeal & leaves black trails in the asphalt. He accelerates, trying to catch up, but is at least a few hundred yards behind. Barreling down the road, trying to get away from him, we’re doing 50 on a 25 and Bonnie Drive is coming up.
“Do I turn & pull into the driveway – or – keep going?” I ask myself as if I would answer back – I don’t know what to do… “turning in & stopping, would be two against one – and it will be revealing my sanctuary.”
My heart pounding, I see him gaining distance on me. All I can thing to do is floor it and speed away from him.
I pass a slower car & he gets stuck as oncoming traffic blocks him. A good gap grows between us as he tries to pass the slower car. Finally I reach Jog Road and luck will have it! The light just turned yellow.
My tires squeal around that turn & he, like his future with her – is stuck at the light. As for me, I’m long gone – not sure of what’s next…
♫“Who do you need?
Who do you love?
When you come undoneWho do you need?
Who do you love?
When you come undone”♫
Today is my 17th birthday! My brother-in-law, Carlos, surprised me with a new car! Well not really a new car but definitely new to me.
