Did she ask about me? Did she mention my name?"
DID SHE MENTION MY NAME?
This how a recent conversation went the other morning at my coffee place. I just sat and listened.
"Hey, I was back home this past week,” he said to one of the fellas sitting at our table this morning. The two of them had grown up together in this small town in Kentucky.
“I went home over the Christmas holiday.” “How are things back home?” “Oh 'bout the same, you know nothing much ever changes back there.” “How’s the basketball team this year?” “Not too bad, we did go to a game while we were there.”
This conversation continued for some time in the same vein. Both of these fellas were products of the late 50s’. I identified with much of their conversation having grown up during that time in similar surroundings.
Just before one fella left he said to his friend, “I saw ____ while I was back home, ran into her at the ballgame. She has a grandson who is playing and one of her granddaughter's is a cheerleader.” His friend’s face changed. He paused a moment, looked down at his coffee and then asked his friend, “Did she mention my name, did she ask about me?” They had once been an item in high school and went steady, one of those forever couples… if you are from the 50s’ you get the picture. “Yes, yes she did ask about you,” his friend answered.
I stayed a few minutes more, and then left. As I got into my car I pulled out an old Gordon Lightfoot cassette, the second song that came on pretty well described what I had just witnessed.
It’s so nice to meet an old friend and pass the time of day
And talk about the home town a million miles away
Is the ice still on the river, are the old folks still the same
And by the way, did she mention my name?
And when the morning came,
do you remember if she dropped a name or two
Is the home team still on fire, do they still win all their games
And by the way, did she mention my name?
Is the landlord still a loser, do his signs hang in the hall
Are the young girls still as pretty in the city in the fall
Does the laughter on their faces still put the sun to shame
And by the way did she mention my name?
Did she mention my name just in passing
And when the talk ran high, did the look in her eye seem far away
Is the old roof still leaking when the late snow turns to rain
And by the way, did she mention my name?
Did she mention my name just in passing
And looking at the rain,
do you remember if she dropped a name or two
Won’t you say hello from someone, they’ll be no need to explain
And by the way did she mention my name?
January 3, 2011
Keep on,
Larry Adamson