Last weekend, Jaime mentioned a boy I used to date. "He has such a good heart," I said, because he truly does. "It's funny, but after all this time I've forgotten how and why we broke up."
"You dumped him," Jaime said.
"Yeah, but I don't remember why," I replied. I knew the general idea — we were at different life stages — but the specifics were beyond recollection.
Jaime gave me a you're-kidding look. "You seriously don't remember what pushed you over the edge?"
Well, no.
"Annie," Jaime said. "You dumped him because he had fleas."
Oh, right. That. Visions of itchy red welts on my ankles resurfaced. Once we began laughing, I could not stop. Fleas! I had completely forgotten.
Lately I have been thinking about the memories we retain and those we lose. I want to understand why they fall where they do. I don't have it figured out yet. One thing I do know, though: I am glad that my dating life no longer requires having the Orkin Man on speed dial, and I am happier still that I forgot it was necessary in the first place.
"You dumped him," Jaime said.
"Yeah, but I don't remember why," I replied. I knew the general idea — we were at different life stages — but the specifics were beyond recollection.
Jaime gave me a you're-kidding look. "You seriously don't remember what pushed you over the edge?"
Well, no.
"Annie," Jaime said. "You dumped him because he had fleas."
Oh, right. That. Visions of itchy red welts on my ankles resurfaced. Once we began laughing, I could not stop. Fleas! I had completely forgotten.
Lately I have been thinking about the memories we retain and those we lose. I want to understand why they fall where they do. I don't have it figured out yet. One thing I do know, though: I am glad that my dating life no longer requires having the Orkin Man on speed dial, and I am happier still that I forgot it was necessary in the first place.
Labels: jaime
Well, I was going to say he could have gotten a flea dip for you (a dip of love!), but there's no chemical bath for different life stages. Or is there?
If one exists, I have not found it — although I'm sure I've driven people to drink, which is a form of a chemical bath if you look at it a certain way.