“When we are 64,” we laughed,
in a smoke-filled room with Beatles playing
“We’ll meet to listen to Rolling Stones
puff a doobie and share our stories.”
Now that birthday has passed after decades apart,
our stories lived out across hundreds of miles
Linda never made it; unable to need Paul or feed Paul when he was 64*
We didn’t make it either; our paths diverged; bridges burned
Those bridges we crossed together back then
with giggles over banana splits
after the adventure of folding clothes in a dank laundromat
or sharing late night stories of hopes and dreams,
seeing the future with so much potential
Those bridges are ash now.
We may have burned the bridges,
but those memories are not ash
Our sharing and giggling and dreaming at 19
will always be burned in my memory,
Yours, too, I hope.
* Reference to “When I’m Sixty Four” written by Paul McCartney (attributed to Lennon-McCartney)
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
Wind Rush 
This was the theme song for my birthday this year, and yes, so much has changed since we first hung out and listened to the tune. Really enjoyed this one.
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Thank you, VJ. Oddly enough this friend called me after 20 years and we are back to talking on the phone as if we had never been apart. I hope you had a happy birthday celebration.
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That is so cool! Love those stories. I had a great 64th. Thanks.
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LuAnne, I have burned so many bridges in my life that I must be a professional ! I asked my wife if she will still need me ? Will she still feed me ..when I’m 64 ? I guess she must have, because I am 68 now. I think, pretty sure anyway. I feel like a London Taxi driver in the fog driving on the wrong side of the road and sitting in the wrong side of the car. I was disoriented and almost ran over 4 vagrants in a crosswalk. I tried to give up time traveling, Suddenly I was in a plane BOAC
sitting next to a lady wearing diamonds named LUCY. The Pilot said we were coming into London flying over the pole. waiting for my chicken dinner. IMAGINE THAT !
docofthebay.blog@ wordpress .com w/ MarcD.Baker find me ! Or Don’t I’m in French Polynesia
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Sounds like you travel across the universe. Did you pass strawberry fields? Is your wife’s name Linda? If so, good for her for making it.
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I appreciate these lines of hope
“We may have burned the bridges,
but those memories are not ash”
sandwiched with the loss.
I am grateful for my memories.
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Well LuAnne…. Strange as it may be… 1974 I was working at the Beverly Hills Hotel dispatching Limos for a company named Carey Limousine. Paul and Linda were guests in one of the bungalows. I sent them a letter in a manila envelope with a little wooden box with 4 joints in it. I offered them a free limo if they so desired. I think maybe it freaked them out.
I never heard from them. I also met a guy that said he was the 1/2 brother to Paul.
( same mother) His name was Ron Benedict. He had some pictures of himself with Paul.
Never followed up on it. I figured that Paul and Linda probably got bothered by people all the time and I did not want to intrude. My loss. Se la vie. It’s a strange world and memories have their own time and place. BTW I love your writing. Please don’t stop !
Marc Island of Raiatea, French Polynesia Formerly a California Boy I traveled to the USA for my 50th High School Reunion and to see the house that my wife bought for us a few years ago. I lasted 10 days and had to get back here. My new life. I’m babbling again.
sending you good thoughts LuAnne !
Marc
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Thank you, Marc for that great Paul story. I can’t imagine being famous and having strangers knowing you but you not knowing them. Must be a wonderful life in French Polynesia. I would love to visit. I live in Michigan and we had snow today! But I like snow, too. Thanks so much for stopping by.
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Thank you, Ali. I have actually made contact with this friend after 20 years and we are building new bridges now. Thanks for stopping by.
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That is amazing. I hope your poem inspires others to reconnect.
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We are dating ourselves. ( and that sounds weird by itself !) Life is but a dream !
I honestly do not understand the connection and continuing fascination with the Beatles.
But I can’t help myself !! When the Beatles hit the Ed Sullivan show for the first time, I was just a kid ! I remember spinning and dancing around the living room. I was 10 years old. I should not complain Lu Anne ! I AM STILL SPINNING LIKE A TOP !! Sounds like you are too !
marc
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Yeah, I spent most of my youth and early adulthood dancing – hey I still dance in the kitchen. 🙂 I do remember that Ed Sullivan show with the Beatles that I so wanted to watch but my dad thought Sullivan was a Communist and would not allow his show to play in our house. How weird. Keep spinning, Marc. And read Rumi. He was a Sufi spinner. 🙂
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