Melodies And Memories
Chris Ledoux
Ain't it funny how an ole song can take you back in time,
Bring back the memories you thought you left behind.
For whatever reason, memories have been flooding my mind lately. Maybe it is a case of nostalgia, or maybe my depression. But the fact is that I have been spending a lot of time with my thoughts and memories over the last few weeks. I have been listening to music that I haven't listened to for a long time, and "reminiscing" about the past.
I have an exceptional memory. Well, I think so anyway. What I find interesting is what may trigger a particular memory. Music, smells, something you see. The list is never ending.
We have a dog, and have for about a year now, I have stepped in dog poo a few times now that we have a dog, but it is funny, I do not fear it. I suppose I should explain. When I was 5 years old my family owned a huge sheep dog named Jake. That stupid dog would leave diner plate sized pile around the house. Well, when I was five they were huge… Anyhow, the dog jumped on me and I fell over backwards. Dog poop squirted out from both of my sides, and then when I stood up the entire thing stuck to my shirt. Probably weighed 10 pounds. I ran into the house crying like a baby, scared and covered in literal shit. The reaction of my family was simply, ohh gross get outside. I was crying, and my mom made me go outside, take the shirt off, and then she housed me off with the garden hose. Needless to say, a horrible memory. So it is my opinion that I have PTS with dog shit. When I smell it, when I see it, I remember that day, 25 years ago in the old house…
People go on and on about their first kiss. Yes, I remember mine. It was an amazing experience. Fireworks were going off all over the place. It didn't hurt that it was the 4th of July holiday. So I remember the first kiss because of a federal holiday, but I cannot tell you when I went all the way. Apparently there wasn't a federal holiday on that one.
So when I see a White tail deer, I do not remember hunting, or get a craving for venison. I remember my Honey Moon. I went to a friend's cabin and the deer were so tamed I walked up to one, grabbed its head, and planted a kiss on its nose. So the other day I was reading an article about anti deer devices for your car, because White tail deer kill more people in the US than any other animal. I found my mind wondering to my honey mood. White tail deer make me think of getting married. Such beautiful creatures, so graceful and elegant. But like a marriage, people forget how much property damage and death such a seemingly harmless and beautiful thing can cause. Think about your garden in the country… Darn pests is what they are…
Music is a huge memory trigger for me. I can remember the first time I heard many, many songs for the first time. So listening to music is like a walk in memory lane. There are songs I cannot listen to because I first heard them during a bad part of life. Or, songs that always bring a smile to my face because of association. The song I started this blog out with is from the album I was listening to when I rolled my car. And when I was sitting on the side of the freeway after my motorcycle accident I was listening to "Film Noir" Gaslight anthem. I cannot listen to Keane because of what was happening in my life when they came out.
So, one day when I was a kid my brother was sitting there, and he asked the neighbor kid "What is that, is that a rubber band". Joe was about 5 or 6, and the neighbor was free balling. Josh looked down and said what, this is my Penis… Well, I have a hard time not laughing to myself about that one when I start looking for a rubber band. And then as strange associations go, this also makes me thing of plums, and I pounder if indeed that plum that my brother and I fed to Jay, Joshes brother, had an effect on the kid. He later cut some guys head off or something. So, I have to ask myself, did the bulling start him down that road…. I doubt it though, there dad would stand in their back yard for hours with his double barrel waiting for a gofer to pop up. I mean stand there for hours completely still. In all the years, I cannot remember having a conversation with their dad, he was a little weird.
Bill O'Reilly reminds me of 9-11. Cannot even stand to hear his voice because of the association I have with it. Not to mention that as I have grown older I have also developed opinions that are almost guaranteed to be the opposite of his.
Lilac is my favorite smell. We had a tree outside my bedroom window growing up, and I associate the smell with all the good things of growing up. Well, both of the good things. I have always loved the smell.
I do not like the smell of Bacon. One camping trip I ate bacon, and got sick. I still like it, but the smell reminds me of that fateful day in the portable toilet crapping out bacon smelling shit. Not pleasant….. I can remember the little tiny chunks leaving my body. I remember wondering if they were bacon or not. It took a few years before I was able to eat the stuff again.
Well, long winded I guess. Just sharing some memories.
