It Started with a Sad Song (The Diary of Bo)
Entry Six: June 29th, 2006
Entry Six: June 29th, 2006
I wonder how the “before picture” women feel. Like, when they see that weight loss commercial for a machine or diet, are they embarrassed, because it was a) them when they were obese or b) because it’s not them? Are they sad, because they lost good friends, or they can’t have their favorite foods because it’ll bring back bad memories? I’d be mellow. I would be sad in my heart, but grateful I have the body I’ve always wanted. Maybe a little shallow too, because I didn’t work it off myself.
I don’t know why I’m talking about this. It just popped into my head when I was at Nan’s house today. We’d been watching television together with Jude at my heels, and Prudence, Nan’s tabby, on her lap. She started talking about how girls in her age were actually told NOT to be skinny, but to be regular. She then pulled out a few posters from her time about weight gain, civil rights, and the Beatles. I found that interesting. And the fact that she kept the posters after all of these years intrigued me more.
Afterwards, we went down the road together to the post office, for Nan to mail her bills. After a five minute wait on line, she turned to me and said, “Boey, hun, go walk around. You don’t need to waste your day on an old hag such as myself.” She laughed. “Go get a cup of tea or some candy for yourself. Meet some people your own age. I’ll be a while.” I protested. “Nonsense! Okay, how about I’ll meet you at the ice cream shoppe at three o’clock. All right?” I sighed, and agreed to Nan’s plan.
I walked around in the summer heat for a while, sort of hoping it would rain. And of course, it did. Hard. Not wanting to get utterly soaked, I ran into the nearest shoppe, a smoothie hut called “Ye Old Blending”. Upon entering, I slowly walked to the back of the small store, and sat myself down at a table by the window. I pulled a book I’d gotten a while back, called Perks of Being a Wallflower, out of my bag and began to read.
After ten minutes of sitting alone and reading Charlie’s letters, someone approached me. “You have to order something if you want to sit here.” I looked up, sort of hoping for it to be the blue eyed boy. It was a golden-eyed boy instead, with intensely curly hair.
“Sorry,” I said. I was about to get up and leave, but the boy blocked me.
“Hold it! I’m only kidding.” he said. “I’m only here for the gig later. Thought I’d come early and get some time alone to write a song and actually play my own stuff. It’s almost always empty in here in the morning. I hardly expected someone to be here.” I nodded.
“Sorry if I intruded.” I tried to leave, but he blocked me again.
“I’m Harrison by the way,” he said. He smiled at me. “What’s your name?”
He almost seemed like a small child to me, only bigger. I told him my name. “That’s a fun name.” he said. Fun? Since when is ‘Bolinda’ fun? I told him this, and he actually laughed. “It’s better than a name like Harrison. Or worse. Your name could be A-Q-J-1-#-(-Batman symbol.” I smiled at this. “You gonna stay for the show later?” I told him I had to meet my friend. “Oh okay.” He grew quiet. I looked around, and then at the clock. It was only one-forty.
“I can stay for a bit though. I don’t have to meet her until three.” It was so unlike me to talk to someone like that. Especially a boy. He smiled though, which made me show a smile I hadn’t had in weeks.
We talked about family, friends, and school. Harrison was in a band called Platinum Record, which he said wasn’t his first choice. He had a younger sister in seventh grade, named Delilah, who didn’t know much about rock music yet. He’s going to the school I’m attending in fall. He said his band covered Rise Against songs. He spent a couple of years in New York, until last winter.
I told him about Audrey, and how quiet she was. I talked about my stepfather and my Mum. I told him about Nan, and her forty year obsession with the Beatles. I told him I’d never really settled down with my family anywhere, but they were going to try here in Dublin.
“Dublin’s not so bad once you get used to it.” he told me, sipping his orange smoothie. “It’s kind of homey and nice to come back to, if you let it anyway.” I nodded and looked at the clock above the counter. It was almost three.
“I have to go,” I’d told him. I got up and put my book away. He sat there, but blocked me with his foot in the aisle. I looked over at him and his shy smile. He was holding a Ye Old Blending business card, with a picture of a banana on it. I looked at him strangely.
“My number is on the back if you have time to come to the gig tonight.” I stared at him, shocked. A boy, giving me his number? After only an hour? “Don’t freak out. I have a girlfriend.” I laughed nervously and pocketed the card. Without saying goodbye, I ran down the street to meet Nan.
Nan had gone home after we got the ice cream, and I was left to deal with Mum for the rest of the day. Audrey was spending the day at work with Cain. After an hour of contemplating, I made a decision on my plans.
Now, I’m getting ready for Harrison’s gig. According to him, it’s in an hour and a half at the smoothie place. Well, at least that’s when he and Platinum Record are going on. I’m trying to pick out a brilliant outfit.
Would a bubblegum tank-top match a black sweater and shorts?
I wonder how the “before picture” women feel. Like, when they see that weight loss commercial for a machine or diet, are they embarrassed, because it was a) them when they were obese or b) because it’s not them? Are they sad, because they lost good friends, or they can’t have their favorite foods because it’ll bring back bad memories? I’d be mellow. I would be sad in my heart, but grateful I have the body I’ve always wanted. Maybe a little shallow too, because I didn’t work it off myself.
I don’t know why I’m talking about this. It just popped into my head when I was at Nan’s house today. We’d been watching television together with Jude at my heels, and Prudence, Nan’s tabby, on her lap. She started talking about how girls in her age were actually told NOT to be skinny, but to be regular. She then pulled out a few posters from her time about weight gain, civil rights, and the Beatles. I found that interesting. And the fact that she kept the posters after all of these years intrigued me more.
Afterwards, we went down the road together to the post office, for Nan to mail her bills. After a five minute wait on line, she turned to me and said, “Boey, hun, go walk around. You don’t need to waste your day on an old hag such as myself.” She laughed. “Go get a cup of tea or some candy for yourself. Meet some people your own age. I’ll be a while.” I protested. “Nonsense! Okay, how about I’ll meet you at the ice cream shoppe at three o’clock. All right?” I sighed, and agreed to Nan’s plan.
I walked around in the summer heat for a while, sort of hoping it would rain. And of course, it did. Hard. Not wanting to get utterly soaked, I ran into the nearest shoppe, a smoothie hut called “Ye Old Blending”. Upon entering, I slowly walked to the back of the small store, and sat myself down at a table by the window. I pulled a book I’d gotten a while back, called Perks of Being a Wallflower, out of my bag and began to read.
After ten minutes of sitting alone and reading Charlie’s letters, someone approached me. “You have to order something if you want to sit here.” I looked up, sort of hoping for it to be the blue eyed boy. It was a golden-eyed boy instead, with intensely curly hair.
“Sorry,” I said. I was about to get up and leave, but the boy blocked me.
“Hold it! I’m only kidding.” he said. “I’m only here for the gig later. Thought I’d come early and get some time alone to write a song and actually play my own stuff. It’s almost always empty in here in the morning. I hardly expected someone to be here.” I nodded.
“Sorry if I intruded.” I tried to leave, but he blocked me again.
“I’m Harrison by the way,” he said. He smiled at me. “What’s your name?”
He almost seemed like a small child to me, only bigger. I told him my name. “That’s a fun name.” he said. Fun? Since when is ‘Bolinda’ fun? I told him this, and he actually laughed. “It’s better than a name like Harrison. Or worse. Your name could be A-Q-J-1-#-(-Batman symbol.” I smiled at this. “You gonna stay for the show later?” I told him I had to meet my friend. “Oh okay.” He grew quiet. I looked around, and then at the clock. It was only one-forty.
“I can stay for a bit though. I don’t have to meet her until three.” It was so unlike me to talk to someone like that. Especially a boy. He smiled though, which made me show a smile I hadn’t had in weeks.
We talked about family, friends, and school. Harrison was in a band called Platinum Record, which he said wasn’t his first choice. He had a younger sister in seventh grade, named Delilah, who didn’t know much about rock music yet. He’s going to the school I’m attending in fall. He said his band covered Rise Against songs. He spent a couple of years in New York, until last winter.
I told him about Audrey, and how quiet she was. I talked about my stepfather and my Mum. I told him about Nan, and her forty year obsession with the Beatles. I told him I’d never really settled down with my family anywhere, but they were going to try here in Dublin.
“Dublin’s not so bad once you get used to it.” he told me, sipping his orange smoothie. “It’s kind of homey and nice to come back to, if you let it anyway.” I nodded and looked at the clock above the counter. It was almost three.
“I have to go,” I’d told him. I got up and put my book away. He sat there, but blocked me with his foot in the aisle. I looked over at him and his shy smile. He was holding a Ye Old Blending business card, with a picture of a banana on it. I looked at him strangely.
“My number is on the back if you have time to come to the gig tonight.” I stared at him, shocked. A boy, giving me his number? After only an hour? “Don’t freak out. I have a girlfriend.” I laughed nervously and pocketed the card. Without saying goodbye, I ran down the street to meet Nan.
Nan had gone home after we got the ice cream, and I was left to deal with Mum for the rest of the day. Audrey was spending the day at work with Cain. After an hour of contemplating, I made a decision on my plans.
Now, I’m getting ready for Harrison’s gig. According to him, it’s in an hour and a half at the smoothie place. Well, at least that’s when he and Platinum Record are going on. I’m trying to pick out a brilliant outfit.
Would a bubblegum tank-top match a black sweater and shorts?