Nostalgia
Jimmy: Remember when I was driving and we were in that police chase? Remember when you were driving and we were in that police chase? I know. I know there was more than one time… so pick whichever.
Remember when we got drunk in downtown Hayward and while our friends got in the car we climbed into that convertible and…. And then we went running for our friends, jumping into the car screaming, “GO GO!”. They were so pissed and I couldn’t stop laughing when you blamed our criminal activities on the fact that you had missed your anger management class.
You called me up today and talked for fifteen minutes about your little girl. Blond and so unlike you that you are still amazed when she calls you Daddy. You took her to the portrait store and afterwards promised yourself to be a better father.
Olivia: You gave me my first cigarette and taught me the beauty of second hand shops whilst getting me drunk for the first time. At three AM we snuck out of your house and wandered the streets of Fairfield in our PJ’s. Seventeen. Drunk. It’s amazing we weren’t killed doing half of the stupid things we did. You set me up with my very first boyfriend and always made me laugh with your outlandish ways.
You were never without a cigarette and every other word out of your mouth was “fuck”. In our Junior year you wore a shirt with the word “Satan” emblazoned upon it in the coca cola logo. I thought nothing could ever tame you.
Now you live in Ohio and you grow herbs in your garden. Your favorite outfit includes a pair of pink slacks from a name brand store and you are planning on getting married next year. You called me up today, trying to quit smoking, and talked about how ever single word in the bible is true. And I love you more than ever, brand new unexpected Olivia.
Bonnie: Remember how we used to take off at a moment’s notice to go drag racing or rent jet ski’s at the lake? Remember driving down a twisty one lane country road doing seventy while I counted sheep and stuck my hands out the T-Tops? I remember that we all got drunk and Olivia lit the butt of her cigarette and when I stopped the car she got out and peed in the middle of the road to the astonishment of the elderly couple driving behind us.
You died my hair fire engine red and my mom was pissed.
You went with me when I got my labret pierced and my mom hated you.
But Olivia was there for the tattoo. She has been forgiven, but you have not. Which I still can’t quite figure out. Good thing she doesn't know that you also got me high for the very first time. God. You were such a pothead.
Now you have a little girl you named Nancy and you are threatening to move to New York. New York is so very far away and I wonder why California isn’t big enough to find yourself here?
Phil: I remember that you hated girls and when I talked about drag racing, motorcycles and tire widths you looked up and said you would fight my boyfriend, your best friend, for me. R laughed until he realized you were serious and then he was pissed and we had to leave. You wrecked your brand new Passat driving drunk and walked home dazed, sure that the police were coming to arrest you and secretly, secretly I thought you were so hot that I was always partially planning on scamming on you. When R and me broke up you drove me home to Hayward and went back to tell him to grow the fuck up. Thank you for that.
You found a pretty Hollywood girl and got married in a big beautiful wedding. I heard through friends about the day your daughter was born and how the new house you bought was gorgeous.
Now you tell your wife you’re at Jimmy’s, but really you’re at your new girlfriends house, plotting on a divorce. You sold your monster truck and traded it in for a wagon and I’m still left remembering the time you said that the perfect girl knew only two things, how to say yes and how to fetch beer on command.
And me? I can’t remember the last time I did a burnout. I tried to chirp the gears shifting into second and the engine went, “thunk”. Last week Eric called me up asking what size engines they made for a ford during the 60’s and I didn’t have a fucking clue. I tried to jump a fence and gave myself a nasty bruise. Lord help me if someone had actually been chasing me. I wear dresses now, and make up, and at last, at very long last, my face is actually beginning to show it’s age. I look in the mirror and am struck dumb.
I never thought we’d grow up.
Remember when we got drunk in downtown Hayward and while our friends got in the car we climbed into that convertible and…. And then we went running for our friends, jumping into the car screaming, “GO GO!”. They were so pissed and I couldn’t stop laughing when you blamed our criminal activities on the fact that you had missed your anger management class.
You called me up today and talked for fifteen minutes about your little girl. Blond and so unlike you that you are still amazed when she calls you Daddy. You took her to the portrait store and afterwards promised yourself to be a better father.
Olivia: You gave me my first cigarette and taught me the beauty of second hand shops whilst getting me drunk for the first time. At three AM we snuck out of your house and wandered the streets of Fairfield in our PJ’s. Seventeen. Drunk. It’s amazing we weren’t killed doing half of the stupid things we did. You set me up with my very first boyfriend and always made me laugh with your outlandish ways.
You were never without a cigarette and every other word out of your mouth was “fuck”. In our Junior year you wore a shirt with the word “Satan” emblazoned upon it in the coca cola logo. I thought nothing could ever tame you.
Now you live in Ohio and you grow herbs in your garden. Your favorite outfit includes a pair of pink slacks from a name brand store and you are planning on getting married next year. You called me up today, trying to quit smoking, and talked about how ever single word in the bible is true. And I love you more than ever, brand new unexpected Olivia.
Bonnie: Remember how we used to take off at a moment’s notice to go drag racing or rent jet ski’s at the lake? Remember driving down a twisty one lane country road doing seventy while I counted sheep and stuck my hands out the T-Tops? I remember that we all got drunk and Olivia lit the butt of her cigarette and when I stopped the car she got out and peed in the middle of the road to the astonishment of the elderly couple driving behind us.
You died my hair fire engine red and my mom was pissed.
You went with me when I got my labret pierced and my mom hated you.
But Olivia was there for the tattoo. She has been forgiven, but you have not. Which I still can’t quite figure out. Good thing she doesn't know that you also got me high for the very first time. God. You were such a pothead.
Now you have a little girl you named Nancy and you are threatening to move to New York. New York is so very far away and I wonder why California isn’t big enough to find yourself here?
Phil: I remember that you hated girls and when I talked about drag racing, motorcycles and tire widths you looked up and said you would fight my boyfriend, your best friend, for me. R laughed until he realized you were serious and then he was pissed and we had to leave. You wrecked your brand new Passat driving drunk and walked home dazed, sure that the police were coming to arrest you and secretly, secretly I thought you were so hot that I was always partially planning on scamming on you. When R and me broke up you drove me home to Hayward and went back to tell him to grow the fuck up. Thank you for that.
You found a pretty Hollywood girl and got married in a big beautiful wedding. I heard through friends about the day your daughter was born and how the new house you bought was gorgeous.
Now you tell your wife you’re at Jimmy’s, but really you’re at your new girlfriends house, plotting on a divorce. You sold your monster truck and traded it in for a wagon and I’m still left remembering the time you said that the perfect girl knew only two things, how to say yes and how to fetch beer on command.
And me? I can’t remember the last time I did a burnout. I tried to chirp the gears shifting into second and the engine went, “thunk”. Last week Eric called me up asking what size engines they made for a ford during the 60’s and I didn’t have a fucking clue. I tried to jump a fence and gave myself a nasty bruise. Lord help me if someone had actually been chasing me. I wear dresses now, and make up, and at last, at very long last, my face is actually beginning to show it’s age. I look in the mirror and am struck dumb.
I never thought we’d grow up.
This was a really great post! I really liked this a lot...
Posted by
SJ |
7:06 AM
Thanks Ian.
DJ: that's just it. We're NOT those same people anymore. The other day Jimmy and I were looking at some kids and he shook his head saying, "stupid" and I started laughing and told him we used to be that stupid too. When he denied it I reminded him of the time his car caught on fire after we had all been working on it. There it was, in the middle of the street on fire and all of the fire extinguishers we owned were empty (we tried two) and while someone was trying to grab a hose Jimmy just stood in the middle of the street and threw his wrench at the car.
Oh my goodness. Were we mental or what?
Posted by
TerraT |
11:27 AM