Creative Writing Piece #5893058

"Sweet dreams" you said,

Your breath hot as fresh bread

right out the oven. You smiled ear to ear in the dark.

We'd said almost nothing;

Silence interrupted by some song--either Zepplin or Sting--

on your car radio. Sky lit up like the ballpark

on the Fourth of July.

You said, "Doesn't time fly?"

Tryin' to make conversation

but not expecting an answer.

Silence spreading like cancer,

save the radio station.

And now it's September;

But don't you remember

Those endless summer nights of ours?

Moonless skies, a blanket of stars,

A picnic dinner and old binoculars

stolen quick from my Ivory Tower.

You were so very proud of your prize:

"Pulled the wool right over his eyes!"

Out way after curfew, parents both asleep.

Mom didn't care, but Dad didn't approve

Because of something you would say, think, or do.

He'd sworn up and down you were a creep.

You wearing your smirk

So pleased with your work;

Filling your head with hot air.

You'd regale me with your stories,

Your pitfalls, dreams, and well-deserved glories,

An "I love you" mixed in there somewhere.

You were cute in your own way, you know?

I knew you cared even when you didn't say so...

I could tell 'cause you got sort of jealous when the other boys stared.

It was young love, wasn't it?

It was, of course. But we wouldn't admit it.

So we just laughed it off.

I loved that you didn't force me to connect

with you--you made me so nervous! You were perfect;

You laughed with your eyes, knew how to dance, sang "Hey Jude" in the shower and made beef stroganoff...

And you were always right--right as rain.

I was inspired by Delillo and Twain

and Hemingway and Faulkner and the dead

Who were impacting the living.

But your look was so unforgiving.

I was just saying whatever popped into my head.

I loved you. You loved me.

We were just too different to simply be.

I just wanted to be remembered, that's all.

I didn't mean to bring it up.

We sat awhile, then packed your truck

And took one last drive past Mr. Jae's house, the middle school, and city hall.

One final kiss under our paper mache sky

Listening to the crickets' lullaby

And basking in the sweet by and by of it all.

DISCLAIMER: None of the aforementioned events ever occurred; nor are they based on real-life persons, places, or occurrences :)