Song
Johanna LaRocque
She sat in the coffee shop nibbling on a crusty morsel of sweet bread, nearly mesmerized by the constant stream of University students passing by. The song began to play in the background, and she wondered how she had managed to choose the only restaurant in town that would be tuned to that station. As if her vegetarian meal had not provided enough flavor, she began to produce a seasoning of her own. Salt laden tears fell onto her plate, and she sobbed uncontrollably as she tasted familiar sorrow.
It had been their final night together. They had promised each other they would not cry, that they would be strong, though secretly, they both knew the promise was false. For six months, they had traveled foreign lands together. Since the amazing moment that their paths had crossed, they had been partners in mischief, discovery, lust and worship. They had formed dreams together, shared secret desires. Had the time truly arrived that they must say good-bye? She had shivered when she realized that with the rising of the morning sun, her lover would board the plane bound for the United States, and the past six months of romance and adventure would fade to a distant memory. She wanted to tell him, but she knew it would not change things.
As they cruised the winding roads of San Pedro, avoiding one pothole after another (as best as could be expected with such scarce lighting), they drifted off into their own separate worlds. Lulled by the humming of the jeep's engine, neither could find the inner strength to express their fears of the separation. This awkward lack of conversation was something unfamiliar to the normally talkative pair. She longed to tell him, and time was running out.
She suddenly turned her head towards him to explain. Just as her lips parted, the silence was broken by the random reception of a radio station, the only station in the entire country that was in English, and Roxette sang a tune about how it must have been love, but it's over now. She saw tears swell up in his eyes. The moment had passed. There was no stopping the arrival of dawn.
As the sun came over the mountain, they pulled into the small parking lot located just south of the international terminal. She had already purchased her ticket for the bus ride back to Curridabat, and the rental car agency would be taking care of the jeep immediately. She wished that she had something to worry about. At this point, even a thief would be welcomed as a diversion to the inevitable truth of the matter. Only one hour until his departure, and she still had not told him.
She glanced down at her soggy, spoiled lunch, and wiped the bread crumbs from her lap. She had such bizarre food cravings lately, and nothing seemed to lift her spirits. Oh, to have that one moment back, the one precious moment that had been spoiled by a silly little song.
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