He remembered thinking, “Oh, god, now she’s in love.”
There he was, just crawling out of one bed and now, here he was, with this new girl, spent, lying easily across him, propped up on an elbow tucked between his arm and his ribs, a goofy smile on her lips and a faraway look in her eyes. He thought at the time that they must look like a European coffee advert.
He had thought he was going to give himself some time, some emotional space. But before he knew it she was watching TV at his house four nights a week and cooking him breakfast.
She was warm and comfortable and and one day, just as he found himself getting used to it and liking it — she was gone.
There was no talking to her. There was no asking why. Did he do something? Not really. Was there someone new? Not anyone who means anything.
Was there any chance? No.
He couldn’t believe he asked.
Before her, he wouldn’t have.
He mooned around for days, then weeks. His buddies tried to get him to go out but he sat in the long summer evenings, watching the sky darken through his open window, as the shadows drew the room into darkness and an open bottle of whisky kept an even inch in the bottom of a tumbler by the couch.
He studied the indigo sky over the tops of his bare feet and tried to think about nothing.
It was getting easier everyday.
Internet Archive page for this recording
16 May 2006 version
29 September 2005 version
When Ashley Said Goodbye
Amber said hello when Ashley said good-bye
I said hold on but there’s no wondering why
when love wants in, love can knock down yer door
I said Amber, I think this is forever
she said baby you’re yanking on my tether
when all is said and done love will even up the score
Love will fool ya — love can kill ya
Love is all that love can give ya
and still you keep coming back for more
Love is funny — love is cruel
Love’ll make Einstein act just like a fool
Love’ll make a tomcat dive in-a swimin pool
All these toys all these games
all these pretty dollhouses going up in flames
if you play around enough you know you’re gonna get burned
Love will fool ya — love can kill ya
Love is all that love can give ya
and still you keep coming back for more
