A forgotten memory...
I was on my way home from work last night and an oldie popped onto the radio. I drove along singing to the Air Supply song pouring out of my speakers. The song is one I hadn't heard in years and it brought back a memory that I had completely forgotten.
When I was in high school and college, I worked at the local pool during the summer. There was one cute, innocent, little boy - probably 4th grade who hung around me most of the summer when I was 18. He was pesky. He was full of questions. He trailed me like a puppy. Quite frankly, he drove me a little nuts. There were days that I was short with him and days when I literally hid from the poor kid.
The summer was winding down and he came up to me one day with a package in hand. It was the latest Air Supply album (yeah - I'm older than dirt). I got choked up and told him that I couldn't take such a nice gift. He told me that he had saved all summer to buy it for me - that I had to take it. He told me that he knew I was too old for him, but that he wanted to find a girlfriend just like me someday.
I was eighteen. The moment touched me, but was buried quickly amidst the self-centered whirlwind that that age is. The song on the radio brought it all back.
When I got home, I scrapped through my old stack of albums that I can't part with, even though I haven't had a turntable in years. There is was - a bit dusty - a bit forgotten - the album my young admirer had saved so long for.
I know the odds that he might read this are slim. I tried very hard and can't even remember the boy's name. If, by some strange coincidence, he ever reads this I just wanted to say thank you and I'm sorry. Thank you for your round cheeks and squirmy self who would look up at me with such pure admiration in your eyes. I'm sorry because I had no idea how blessed I was at the time. I hope you remember me fondly.
When I was in high school and college, I worked at the local pool during the summer. There was one cute, innocent, little boy - probably 4th grade who hung around me most of the summer when I was 18. He was pesky. He was full of questions. He trailed me like a puppy. Quite frankly, he drove me a little nuts. There were days that I was short with him and days when I literally hid from the poor kid.
The summer was winding down and he came up to me one day with a package in hand. It was the latest Air Supply album (yeah - I'm older than dirt). I got choked up and told him that I couldn't take such a nice gift. He told me that he had saved all summer to buy it for me - that I had to take it. He told me that he knew I was too old for him, but that he wanted to find a girlfriend just like me someday.
I was eighteen. The moment touched me, but was buried quickly amidst the self-centered whirlwind that that age is. The song on the radio brought it all back.
When I got home, I scrapped through my old stack of albums that I can't part with, even though I haven't had a turntable in years. There is was - a bit dusty - a bit forgotten - the album my young admirer had saved so long for.
I know the odds that he might read this are slim. I tried very hard and can't even remember the boy's name. If, by some strange coincidence, he ever reads this I just wanted to say thank you and I'm sorry. Thank you for your round cheeks and squirmy self who would look up at me with such pure admiration in your eyes. I'm sorry because I had no idea how blessed I was at the time. I hope you remember me fondly.
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