08 November 2012

Because I Miss Writing: A Third Person Post

She drove, shaking her finger, trying to dislodge the last sticky remnant of the CD wrapper that clung to her like a spurned teenager. Maybe she was taking Taylor Swift too seriously. She concentrated on navigating the twisting, narrow road as another song of love and loss filled the van.

It was the yearning that got to her--the reckless, singular desire of new love. She hesitated to call it the bastion of the young, because she could remember that need like it was yesterday. And it wasn't like the love had faded; it had just been shared for so long, pulled like taffy in so many directions that the thinnest parts snapped and dangled, begging for attention.

She understood why people had affairs. After so many years sharing the stage, one might decide they preferred the spotlight. They might miss the thrill of discovery, the stolen glances, the catch of breath from the brush of an unfamiliar hand. The shared secret. And as she aimed for home, listening to the young voice sing about a lifetime of love, she missed it, too. But she knew that love wasn't in the flash of heat or the spark of skin. It was in the unspoken. The quiet. The knowing.

Knowing when to talk and when to listen. Knowing you're right but not proving the point. Knowing that the years before don't guarantee the ones to come, but trusting they will. Knowing it won't always be easy, but remembering that when it's hard. Knowing the person next to you will always be there, even when you can't see them through the crowd. Knowing you have a place to stay.

She pulled into the driveway and turned off the music. Although it had stirred her, made her feel young again, she'd heard the lie in the lyrics. She walked toward her front door and shook her finger one last time, only to notice it was bare. Somewhere along the way the tiny sliver of plastic had left her. She ran her thumb over the remaining spot of glue, turned the handle and stepped inside.

11 comments:

  1. Fantastic! What a nice Thursday surprise.

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    1. I've pretty much given up accomplishing anything else in my life, so I surprised us both.

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  2. So is the cd good?
    Way to rock a metaphor.

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    1. My cool child (Two) is horrified I bought it, but it's fantastic. There are at least four perfect tracks where I can imagine a whole movie as they play. Music inspires me, even though I can't write to it.

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  3. And we can expect the adventures of one single mother and one sexy sheriff when, exactly? No rush, you understand, just...y'know.

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    1. The problem is that the book has so many...words. Words that need reading and revising. This was a lot quicker.

      That said, I'm hoping to carve out a little time this weekend to work, because I haven't completely abandoned the idea of finishing it.

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    2. Never abandon the idea. You can dooo eeet!

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  4. Wonderful! Can't wait for another one!

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    1. Me too! It was nice to drive around and let words percolate in my brain. Words other than "Sandy," or "power outage," or "oh my god school is still closed when will you teenagers get out of my house?"

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  5. Fabulous! Also, feel free to horrify Two with the knowledge that today I had 21 second graders crooning We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together while they did spelling. I play itunes in class :D

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  6. Who doesn't need a break? This was fabulous!!!

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Thanks for reading! Unlike other Diaries, this one isn't private. Feel free to share your thoughts. Politely, of course.