Well, seeing as it's you, I'll explain. Fram Actual, one of the few Bloggers I keep an eye out for. He's a darn good writer which, I suppose, is because of his profession.
Always has such an interesting and stylish way about him. And he usually includes a song or two as a 'bonus' at the end of his article.
In his current posting he writes about a sort of 'lost love', a girl he knew. This struck a chord with me. And I doubt that I am alone in this kind of memory.
Thus it's HIS fault that I'm writing this odd piece, and why I am including two of my favourite 'oldies' courtesy of Youtube.
I wrote a letter of goodbye to my very first love. I really did love her then and, in a way, still do - even though we shall never meet or speak or write to each other again. It's impossible.
So, my first song is Billy Eckstine singing 'I Apologize'
The second song makes me think of the recurring dream I kept having for many years after I left her. Her name: Stella. No, it's not Stella by Starlight, although I love that song too.
My dream was always the same. I'm walking along Croydon High Road, passing my favourite store, Kennards. Stella is walking towards me, wearing her dark green coat. She comes close to me but just walks past me, not even glancing at me. She melts into the people as she disappears. I can see this now, so clearly.
The second song is, of course, Passing Strangers, a duet by Billy Eckstine and the wonderful Sarah Vaughn.
7 comments:
Such a touching post. I know. And people who do touch our hearts in that way remain within us somewhere forever. And that is no bad thing *smiles*.Xxx
It is not unusual for me to be blamed for this and that and the other thing, Philip, but I am glad that, on this occasion, it is for something rather nice.
I wonder if the green coat suggests the last time you saw her or a time you two had a particularly enjoyable evening -- or, that like the store, she was your favorite in some regard. Being one who loves to speculate about dreams (and frequently remembers portions of my own), I would guess the element of looking past you or beyond you is your own feeling that things turned out well for her in the long run.
I recall Billy Eckstine's name, but not his voice. Sarah Vaughn is another matter. In particular, my mind still holds her voice singing "Broken Hearted Melody."
I enjoyed your post, Philip .... keep them coming .... in the words of Aerosmith and Steven Tyler, "Dream On" ....
Thanks Michelle, I think you put it very well.
Actually I did apologise to her when we met some 50-odd years later, face to face. She then told me that she and her friend Mavis saw me in the Orchid Ballroom about six months after my cowardly letter. I would have been so embarrassed had we actually met that evening. Phew!
Fram A: you are totally blameless of course. I just coined that title so that if anybody actually listened to those old love songs and felt like being sick at the sound of these 'long ago' songs then I wouldn't have to apologize because YOU were the villain in the piece.
The green coat was, in fact, what she wore when we meandered over a place called Riddlesdown, part of the rolling southern downs as they're called. It was early January 1952 and fairly chilly.
That dream was because I really wanted to at least speak to her once more; it took me a VERY long time to achieve that but I'm so glad I managed it. The dream has now been put to bed, so to speak.
That's very sweet. :-) There's nothing like one's first true love. I'm still friends with mine, after all these years, and his wife and son. I believe the saying goes: Make new friends, but keep the old. One's like silver and the other's gold.
Thank you Sparkly, that's a lovely comment and great to know your view is so like my own. Perhaps 'the first love' is the start of our rites of passage as we enter a new phase of life. We meet someone. A spark ignites a something in our senses. It bursts into flame when our hope of friendship is not rejected. It just becomes burnt into our heart and brain ... and nothing can extinguish it.
By the way, fancy coming with me to the dance tonight? :-D
I was rejected by my first love so many times...until I was about to marry another who I did not want to toss over to go back, though I should have. I have no songs for either of those relationships but I still know where I made my mistake.
Mark, that's so sad. We all make many mistakes in life. Nothing much we can do to make amends although sometimes, very occasionally, something happens to ease our minds. I send my best wishes to you my friend.
Post a Comment