Instalment Thirty

I can’t listen to this song, he said leaving the bar. It was Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time. My mother used to sing this to me, we can’t listen to it ever again, he sighed. I hate to admit this but straight away I calculated: do I like Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time more than this man. We had told each other “I love you,” said we would be together forever but, am I willing to give up listening to a song I have never given passing thought to? It’s a catchy tune. His mother had died, he was raised by an older brother, this grief wasn’t misplaced, but still it’s a good enough song. True Colours is the same thing right? I thought. Be happy with True Colours and this boy, you love him. Yes, True Colours and this guy will do. I felt somehow short changed, I wasn’t even thinking about what other grief landmines could be buried in our future, just this one song I kinda liked. We broke up a year later. “You always put yourself first Selfish” he said. I still don’t own either song but I turn them up when they’re on the radio.