Black Opium
I snap back to reality, and feel the tears on my cheek. Wiping them away, the guilt and grief comes flooding back, forty years later.
I shouldn't be sitting here looking at old faded photos. I have kids, and a wife to look after. I'm forty-six years old. I still can't believe that for the past forty years, Joey hasn't been on this earth.
I never contacted Kim or Eric after I left. I miss the town and the faces, but I promised myself I wouldn't contact the others. Not after what happened to Joey.
My mother told me the other day that she saw Kim outside our old school. She has two teenagers now.
I was happy to hear that she has a family of her own. I wonder about Eric. My mother said that nobody hears much from him, even though he still lives in the same town. He never goes out, but Kim visits him occasionally.
I look down at the photo album again. I've found the photo I was looking for the one of all of us sitting outside the shed.
Eric, me, Kim and Joey are all looking into the camera with stupid smiles on our faces, like we'd just nicked a six-pack of beer from Eric's dad. Which, to be perfectly honest, we probably had.
Joey's wearing some ridiculous hat, fixed to one side on his head. Eric's got his hand in a bunny-ears sign behind my head. I'm doing the same to him. Kim's just looking photogenic while pretending she doesn't actually know any of us.
Rest In Results!
Black Opium
I smile at the photo, and then gently slide it out of the photo album.
I put it into a plain envelope and scribble an address on it before sealing it. I sigh.
I'm sending this to Kim. It's just the photo, no letter, nothing she'll know it's from me. But it's too late. It's time to say goodbye.
I miss that town
I miss the faces
You can't erase
You can't replace it
I'm missing now
I can't believe it
So hard to stay
Too hard to leave it
If I could relive those days
I know the one thing that would never change
Every memory of looking out the back door
I have the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It's hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye goodbye
Every memory of walking out the front door
I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for
It's hard to say it
time to say it
Goodbye goodbye
***
Well, that's all... hope you liked it. Any comments/questions/feedback etc. all appreciated!
And y'all should have guessed which song this was influenced by... =P
