Met My Old Lover In The Grocery Store
Without Prejudice
With thanks to Dan Fogelberg and Same Auld Lang Syne.
I often find that life imitates art, or is it art imitating life? I'm not sure and I'm not going to Dr Google to look it up.
Auld Lang Syne is not just a song I love but a saying I love.
One of my old boyfriends who was Irish called me " The Auld One, which just literally means the old
one, which in Gaelic Irish means a revered person, a wise person. It also denotes Mother which is slightly creepy.
I love the idea of Hogmanay, or New Years Eve when Auld Lang Syne is traditionally played. My dad hardly ever drank but would always have a small Whisky on Hogmanay.
And cry a little.
Like Dan Fogelberg my Dad also died of prostate cancer.
And I miss him.
And just like Dan I ran into an old lover in a grocery store, snow wasn't falling but it might as well have, such was the shiver of emptiness and ice cold hands I felt suddenly. He saw me before I saw him or I would have avoided him all together.
He was with another woman and it looked like he had started dyeing his hair, a deep rust colour which I believe is the favourite hair colour of male Hollywood Celebrities, these days such as Arnie S and Tom H and the rest.
It was awkward and I wished the floor would swallow me up, but we were face to face so had to make small talk. I always wear a ring on my ring finger and I saw him glance at it and I said nothing. For once in my life I was struck dumb. And his girlfriend, who at first I thought was his daughter and didn't want to ask, glared at me as if I was about to pinch him back.
" God help me " I thought.
She had no need to worry about him on that score.
I was hardly going to rugby tackle him to the floor and have wild naked sweaty sex with him. She stayed glaring at me the whole time as he and I made polite houses and tried not to tell him too much. He was astounded at my weight loss and I was astounded at his gain. He was obviously dining in a good paddock.
She who glared was not exactly a slim Jim either and I couldn't help but notice the ice cream in her hands. I introduced myself, just my name and asked if she was his girlfriend to the general vicinity of both of their heads. Yes she was he announced proudly as no doubt he had managed to score with a chick half his age. I couldn't see what he was so proud about but she looked happy enough.
He had never married or had kids and was quite wealthy as a result. A worker in a grocery store, how ironic. He glanced at his girlfriend and she was finally turned towards the cashier and not us.
" Call me " he mouthed and I pretended I didn't see him as I brushed a piece of lint off my jacket.
As I said I had to go he tried to wink at me and mouthed once again,
" Looking hot "
I ignored him,
smiled at the girlfriend whose ice cream had been totalled up and bagged.
My tiny grand daughter aged 2 arrived back at my side, with one of the staff that revered her. I picked her up and she smiled at everyone. And I saw my exes new girlfriend melt, that longing I have seen in many a young girls eyes, I looked at my ex and thought it wouldn't be long before he became a Dad. Something he had said he never wanted to be.
Shilo my grand daughter waved goodbye to everyone and blew a kiss. She does this when I say,
" Say bye bye "
She's very cute.
I clutched her to in a hug and tried not to break into a run as I headed towards my car.
All I could think of was what a lucky escape I had had. I didn't fancy him, I realised that I didn't even like him. I thought of the wasted years I had spent imagining my old lover. How I had hurt when we broke up, buckets of tears, face turned to the wall, sobbing my heart out. What a waste of good tissues and mascara.
My Auld Lang Syne indeed.
Lyrics Dan Fogelberg......
With thanks to Dan Fogelberg and Same Auld Lang Syne.
I often find that life imitates art, or is it art imitating life? I'm not sure and I'm not going to Dr Google to look it up.
Auld Lang Syne is not just a song I love but a saying I love.
One of my old boyfriends who was Irish called me " The Auld One, which just literally means the old
one, which in Gaelic Irish means a revered person, a wise person. It also denotes Mother which is slightly creepy.
I love the idea of Hogmanay, or New Years Eve when Auld Lang Syne is traditionally played. My dad hardly ever drank but would always have a small Whisky on Hogmanay.
And cry a little.
Like Dan Fogelberg my Dad also died of prostate cancer.
And I miss him.
And just like Dan I ran into an old lover in a grocery store, snow wasn't falling but it might as well have, such was the shiver of emptiness and ice cold hands I felt suddenly. He saw me before I saw him or I would have avoided him all together.
He was with another woman and it looked like he had started dyeing his hair, a deep rust colour which I believe is the favourite hair colour of male Hollywood Celebrities, these days such as Arnie S and Tom H and the rest.
It was awkward and I wished the floor would swallow me up, but we were face to face so had to make small talk. I always wear a ring on my ring finger and I saw him glance at it and I said nothing. For once in my life I was struck dumb. And his girlfriend, who at first I thought was his daughter and didn't want to ask, glared at me as if I was about to pinch him back.
" God help me " I thought.
She had no need to worry about him on that score.
I was hardly going to rugby tackle him to the floor and have wild naked sweaty sex with him. She stayed glaring at me the whole time as he and I made polite houses and tried not to tell him too much. He was astounded at my weight loss and I was astounded at his gain. He was obviously dining in a good paddock.
She who glared was not exactly a slim Jim either and I couldn't help but notice the ice cream in her hands. I introduced myself, just my name and asked if she was his girlfriend to the general vicinity of both of their heads. Yes she was he announced proudly as no doubt he had managed to score with a chick half his age. I couldn't see what he was so proud about but she looked happy enough.
He had never married or had kids and was quite wealthy as a result. A worker in a grocery store, how ironic. He glanced at his girlfriend and she was finally turned towards the cashier and not us.
" Call me " he mouthed and I pretended I didn't see him as I brushed a piece of lint off my jacket.
As I said I had to go he tried to wink at me and mouthed once again,
" Looking hot "
I ignored him,
smiled at the girlfriend whose ice cream had been totalled up and bagged.
My tiny grand daughter aged 2 arrived back at my side, with one of the staff that revered her. I picked her up and she smiled at everyone. And I saw my exes new girlfriend melt, that longing I have seen in many a young girls eyes, I looked at my ex and thought it wouldn't be long before he became a Dad. Something he had said he never wanted to be.
Shilo my grand daughter waved goodbye to everyone and blew a kiss. She does this when I say,
" Say bye bye "
She's very cute.
I clutched her to in a hug and tried not to break into a run as I headed towards my car.
All I could think of was what a lucky escape I had had. I didn't fancy him, I realised that I didn't even like him. I thought of the wasted years I had spent imagining my old lover. How I had hurt when we broke up, buckets of tears, face turned to the wall, sobbing my heart out. What a waste of good tissues and mascara.
My Auld Lang Syne indeed.
Lyrics Dan Fogelberg......
The snow was falling Christmas Eve
I stood behind her in the frozen foods
And I touched her on the sleeve
I stood behind her in the frozen foods
And I touched her on the sleeve
She didn't recognize the face at first
But then her eyes flew open wide
She went to hug me and she spilled her purse
And we laughed until we cried
But then her eyes flew open wide
She went to hug me and she spilled her purse
And we laughed until we cried
We took her groceries to the check out stand
The food was totaled up and bagged
We stood there lost in our embarrassment
As the conversation lagged
The food was totaled up and bagged
We stood there lost in our embarrassment
As the conversation lagged
We went to have ourselves a drink or two
But couldn't find an open bar
We bought a six-pack at the liquor store
And we drank it in her car
But couldn't find an open bar
We bought a six-pack at the liquor store
And we drank it in her car
We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to now
We tried to reach beyond the emptiness
But neither one knew how
We drank a toast to now
We tried to reach beyond the emptiness
But neither one knew how
She said she's married her an architect
Who kept her warm and safe and dry
She would have liked to say she loved the man
But she didn't like to lie
Who kept her warm and safe and dry
She would have liked to say she loved the man
But she didn't like to lie
I said the years had been a friend to her
And that her eyes were still as blue
But in those eyes I wasn't sure if I saw
Doubt or gratitude
And that her eyes were still as blue
But in those eyes I wasn't sure if I saw
Doubt or gratitude
She said she saw me in the record stores
And that I must be doing well
I said the audience was heavenly
But the traveling was Hell
And that I must be doing well
I said the audience was heavenly
But the traveling was Hell
We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to now
We tried to reach beyond the emptiness
But neither one knew how
We drank a toast to now
We tried to reach beyond the emptiness
But neither one knew how
We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to time
Reliving, in our eloquence
Another "Auld Lang Syne"
We drank a toast to time
Reliving, in our eloquence
Another "Auld Lang Syne"
The beer was empty and our tongues were tired
And running out of things to say
She gave a kiss to me as I got out
And I watched her drive away
And running out of things to say
She gave a kiss to me as I got out
And I watched her drive away
Just for a moment I was back at school
And felt that old familiar pain
And, as I turned to make my way back home
The snow turned into rain
And felt that old familiar pain
And, as I turned to make my way back home
The snow turned into rain
Songwriters: Dan Fogelberg
Dan died at 56 from advanced probate cancer.
