Any time I’m in a foul mood and want to lash out at things, I think I should just tell some stupid story about my life instead. Here’s one.

It was 1972, so I would have been 13, and I went to see the movie Ben at the Carolina, or maybe it was the Terrace.

When Michael Jackson started singing the title track to Ben, I started to embarrassingly weep right there in the movie theater.

Something snapped, apparently.

~~

Ben, the two of us need look no more 
We both found what we were looking for 
With a friend to call my own 
I’ll never be alone 
And you my friend will see 
You’ve got a friend in me

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_(film)

Love is blue · Paul Mauriat

This song came up on my stream tonight. Always a memory triggered.

1968, I was a child, and my mother and I arrived early to downtown Greensboro for shopping.

I think it was Meyer’s Department Store. We arrived a few minutes before opening, but they let us in anyway.

I didn’t know the name of the song playing in the store, but I knew I liked it and it was on the radio a lot. Love is blue · Paul Mauriat.

The music system was turned up loud, I guess to rev up the store and employees for the day. The store was lit up and glittering, the music was roaring. Beautiful. My mom and I both liked it a lot.

Nice for a song to bring her memory back to me. Today marks her birthday.