The Stranger's journey has now come full circle.
Join me in the bright sunshine at When Words Go Free...

There are still stories to be told.
Read them at The Stranger Looks Back.

For Crying Out Loud

I thought she was the most beautiful girl on The Main. She probably wasn't of course, but I thought she was. "Exquisite" might be a better word. She approached me as though she took it for granted that I had already decided to go with her. She was right.

The first time was business as usual. The second time I saw her was... different. We did things we weren't supposed to do, things that lovers do. Tender things. I don't know if she felt what I did, and I never asked. I told her afterwards that I couldn't see her like that anymore. She said simply, "I know," and it never came up again.

After that, we would hang out, grab a bite every so often, sometimes have a drink or two. I took her out for her birthday. Once,  she invited me over for breakfast. We talked, we laughed, she told me how she got there. It always killed me a little, what she did, but I knew enough to leave it alone.

We'd known each other about six months when I got home from a vacation to find my answering machine full. She was in the hospital. I didn't call, I didn't even unpack, I just went. She had been stabbed. She was barely conscious when they had found her. They told her she was lucky to be alive. She didn't look very lucky.

She had nowhere to go, so she stayed with me while she recovered. I took care of her, and she took care of me. We never touched each other, except when I dressed her wounds. It was a tiny apartment with only two beds and I had a part-time roommate, so when he was there we would have to double up. One night, she said I could sleep in her bed. I muttered something unintelligible, stayed where I was, and regretted it for a long time afterwards. It never came up again.

Her wounds healed. We both knew that she couldn't stay, that she had to leave the city to get away from where we had met. She went back to her home town, got a job in a department store, went back to school. We spoke regularly. When my father died, she was the first person I called. I wouldn't have been able to make the drive otherwise.

For years, we kept in touch, visited each other every few months. Over time, we drifted apart. She got a boyfriend, I got a girlfriend. The visits stopped, the calls were less frequent. The last time I ever spoke to her was when I told her that I was getting married. As I hung up the phone, I knew that it would be.

For crying out loud
You know I loved
you
  

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Unbelievable touching, Legacy.

We always regret the ones that get away.

The Beans said...

That was beautiful and sorrowful, Legacy.

--French Bean

Cayman said...

You've broke my heart. I was hoping for a happy ending. Still, very moving.

Mrs Midnite said...

Nice post Legacy, any chance you could look her up now?

Anonymous said...

Your writing as always cuts straight through the hard shell of outer flesh and into the soft vulnerable heart, eliciting from that sacred organ memories and emotions long buried. I adore your work

#1Nana said...

The cynic in me says that if you were Richard Gere the story would have a different ending.

Well written.

Miss Melicious said...

You have such an eloquent way of writing.

Its never too late to try.

Nicole said...

It's embarrassing how much I cry whilst reading your blog.

monika said...

Nice blog.

trytryagain said...

quite possibly your most beautiful post yet...........
i'm still waiting for my novel.
and i'm moving over to wordpress. whatcha think?

CarmenT said...

Beautifully touching.

Kelly said...

You have such an amazing command of our language. I love reading your posts :)

Frank said...

That was a very emotional piece of writing and very touching to read. Thank you for sharing.

the wid0w said...

a touch of meatloaf at the end there ? ;-)

Hanis. said...

One word. Wow.

Me. said...

Do i detect Meatloaf?
'for crying out loud, you know i love you'
That was just brilliant and so touching, you have a talent :) x

mittenmommy said...

Beautiful

Billy Fisher said...

It is what you didn't say that was such a great story. I liked it.

Virginia Prigg said...

Fantastic.

Anonymous said...

A manly tear was shed

Angie McCoy said...

that was beautiful. thank you for your honesty and sharing that with us. how's your marriage going?

kikinotdee said...

You have such a talent legs !