Jukebox
Ninety-nine percent of the world's lovers are not with their first choice. That's what makes the jukebox sing.
—Willie Nelson
Once a psychologist told me a story about two strangers who met on a sidewalk in Manhattan and fell in love on the spot. They were married to other people but they left together.
Maybe love is all destiny. Miracles are everywhere. Not a second of our lives passes without one, so maybe it's not rare for two people meant for each other to meet. Maybe it happens all the time but most of us don't recognize it, or even worse, don't act.
Years ago I fell in love once but I never told her. We worked in the same building and said hello to each other a dozen times. She'd smile when she saw me.
I never knew anything about her. Not her birthday or her favorite color or season. I didn't know whether she liked rainy days or sunny ones or where she lived or her favorite music or books or food or the last time she'd been kissed or the last time she'd cried or the reason.
Once on a spring morning I almost asked her to go for a walk. I nearly stopped her in the hall to ask. I'd rehearsed for weeks but I couldn't get the first word out, that first word, that pivot.
But if we had taken a walk I'd have remembered every detail: the green igniting all around us, the clouds crossing deliberately above us, the breeze quickening the trees and the birds singing, their lives depending on their songs.
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Author's Note
It's possible an earlier version of this was published in D&B.
The epigram is from Willie's Quotes—Club Luck.
Other stories by Dianne McKnight-Warren
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Enjoyed.
Fear may be tragic, especially in matters of the heart. But I like to think of a feathery juke box!
Good way to end - I like the conflicting points there: the what if of the walk, which doesn't happen in the piece - yet, the details are remembered. That makes me want to circle back to destiny in par. 2. Nice work. *
So much reach in so little space- a great meditation on love, chance, and recognition--or its failure.
For me, this was always a problem. Not exactly shyness, but maybe fear of rejection or failure of character. I met a beautiful woman once who told me that, contrary to what most people think, she was, in fact, quite lonely. I told her that her hat was perfect. We’ve been married for 40 years. Your story is excellent, if melancholy because thinking of the walk without actually sharing the walk is not the same thing as you make clear.
This was just a really accurate capture, very real. Skillfully done.
Thank you all for commenting. Seems like fewer and fewer people do. I appreciate your time and attention.
I loved this deep little snippet — how so much hangs on the courage of the birdsong.
Thank you Paul. Thanks for commenting!
A fine tale well-told with metaphysical accompaniment. Good work.
Thank you Mr. Strannikov. I appreciate your time and attention and your fine comment. I have always admired your ability to articulate.
Very fine.
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Thank you, Bill. Thank you for reading and thank you for your generous comment.
Perfect
Thanks Joani. Nice to se you!