Still They Ride in General

So many years ago.

I had “Escape” on cassette. Millennials and gen Z don’t even know what that is.

I was back in town, up from South Carolina. An evening skating at Roller World. A very enjoyable half hour making out with Gary’s niece, Lynn. I was 19, she was 16. Nothing untoward to be seen. Move along.

(Quick explanation. How did Gary, my age, have a 16 year old niece? Both of his parents had been married previously and he had substantially older siblings.)

Gary and the boys interrupted us just as I was getting to second base. Then a look at the watch and I had to go.

I drove back to ‘Salem’s Lot. Grabbed my stuff. It was well after midnight. My parents and sisters were long asleep. I wrote a note and left it on the kitchen table. “Gotta go. I love you. -T”

The bottom of Summer street was blocked off, so I backtracked and went down Main Street. To the light which stayed red much too long. This song was on.

I thought “I am always leaving. I am always leaving.”

A crack in my soul. But I powered through the 22 hour drive back to Sumter.

With Lynn in my head every second of every minute of every hour until I pulled through the gate at Shaw AFB.

There is a certain insanity that comes with youth.

To a degree I think it is what drives humanity forward. If everyone were content, well then what would there to be to strive for?

For 19 year old me, it was an impossibly perfect sixteen year old redhead who I have never seen again.

Last updated September 13, 2022