Ran into an ex uptown today. What makes it so hard to recognize a face that’s out of place? He had me at an advantage, my name on the door panel of the car parked out in front of CVS. He walked towards me, smiled a bit and said hello. I smiled and said hi, how are you. I didn’t know it was him until I heard his voice. How strange, to live with someone for six years and then not know his eyes.
We stood at different counters, and I was trying to decide if I should go up to him after the clerk had rung me out. The last time I talked to him was probably three years ago. And told him it’d be better if he didn’t call. It happened once before like this, where I walked right by him at the Dunkin’ Donuts. But I was with Jim, and again, recognized him by his voice after we’d walked past.
I heard him giving the clerk a hard time about some photos he was picking up. I wondered why he hadn’t printed them himself. Purple hands from squeezing grapes, broken nails from outdoor work, remnants of a cold sore on my lip and garden shoes; I decided to just walk away. Again.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
I’ve had that experience of not recognizing people at first — me, who can always tell my husband the actor’s name. Once it was my cousin, and I didn’t realize it was him until too late, then it struck me and I wondered what the heck was wrong with me that I hadn’t known him. It’s strange. I wonder what features I’m not taking into account when that happens, or am I just being unobservant and distracted, or simply taken by surprise? With an ex — could be awkward. What do you say?
I don’t blame you. It’s no fun starting off at a disadvantage when meeting an ex. Ex is ex. let it be.
I love your design here. It’s gorgeous. Did you do it yourself? The bg colors, the text colors and central bar. Perfect.
I’ve still been thinking about it, and while I feel bad because I may have hurt his feelings, there’s so much from the past that neither of us needed to face again.
Yes, David, I did design it, thanks. Though I’m ready to redecorate soon. BTW, the ex’s name in this case happens to be David.