Written by the man I love.
I was cleaning the attic yesterday and found a box, actually a Jack Daniel’s crate (very appropriate for the time I used it), full of letters and a few photos. Then today I was listening to a song by Guster called, “Jesus on the Radio” and it started me think about the contents of the box in relation to the lyrics of the song.
You took a photograph of me
on your yellow bucket seat
At the bottom of the box was the plastic photo holder from my high school wallet. Inside were senior photos of some of the prettiest girls in my senior class, I didn’t remember any of their names. There was also one photo of a girl I dated in high school, she appears to be wearing a prom dress but we didn’t go to prom together, so I don’t know why I had that photo. We didn’t go to prom because her old boyfriend just got out of jail and they started dating again, I stepped back from that situation.
Its too high, its too wide
You're so low you don't know
To get through, to go around
On top of the photos were letters sent to the address of the house I grew up in. These were letters from Wisconsin and Wyoming, one girl I remember well another I vaguely recall. By the way, these are all actual hand written letters; some in pen, some in pencil, some on stationary, some on lined paper. Letters about being stuck in Wisconsin all summer and wishing she could come home, others about wanting to come visit me in Illinois. I wish I could see my letters because these would make more sense.
So don't look back
There ain't nothing there to see
Was once like you
On top of those letters were letters addresses to my freshman dorm room. Letters from girls, guys, and some family members. There were a couple cards from my Mom, true treasures. There were letters from Sharon, Jan, and Lori, and Bob and Gregg and it was only yesterday and I forget the other names. Funny letters, update letters, break up letters, angry reaction letters to letters I must have sent. There’s a rejection letter to a request of mine to reunite (included in this envelope is a sarcastic version of her letter that I wrote that is really mean and awful and luckily is the one letter I never sent).
Can't say I recognize that face
in that picture that you keep
Nearing the top of the pile were some letters to the house I lived in Junior year. Be careful of who you meet at a Halloween Party. The costume may hide a lot more than their physical traits. She wrote quite a few letters and I can only barely remember what she looked like in the costume (Chinese woman, pre Political Correctness).
Its too high, its too wide
You're so low you don't know
To get through, to go around
On the very top of all this,crammed in and barely fitting are napkins from Joanie and my wedding. Also there are extra wedding invitations, the wedding cards we received most noting the gift received for sending thank you cards.
So don't look back
There ain't nothing there to see
I’m glad I looked back for an hour, I didn’t fully read any letter, and didn’t even open half of them. So now I wonder, who was that guy written to in these letters? Why did all these people have such strong emotions, good and bad, towards him? Did he choose to forget most of what happened 30 years ago or is that just what happens? What happened to the authors of the letters? I only stay in touch with one of the letter writers, Gregg (and now it’s through writing on Facebook). And finally, how did Joanie see what everyone writer didn’t? How did this box end up covered in memories of our wedding that started a relationship that is still going strong today?
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