Rikki Don't Lose That Number

As I get older this song becomes more vital to me. I struggle to explain. The song, the lyrics, the melody bring back such powerful torrents of memories of that time, those days, and moments passing by, places, emotions, moods, sensations, relationships, friends, teachers, school days, endings, beginnings, things I haven't known since ..... what else is there? 

It represents a time in my life that I occasionally yearn to return to. And the realization that much of what I'd known to that point was ending and that things were about to change. Transitions to a something different that I was far from eager to see take place.

Much of those days are a blur now. The song provides pieces or fragments of clarity. 

A few years ago, I met one of the persons this song reminds me of. I only knew her back then by seeing her around high school. I was far too shy and terrified to ever dare saying hello. Then one day, decades later, I crossed paths with her in the grocery store and it was her that recognized me. Then shortly later I attended a small 'fish fry' at the house of a mutual friend. She was there. I wasn't going to go as I was worn out after a day at work but she got on the phone and asked me to show up. So I did and it was so wonderful getting to know her. I even confessed (and in front of her husband) to having a high school crush for her. 

Rikki wasn't even my favorite at the time but over time it has become so meaningful for me.