HEY, I'M TALKING TO YOU

I talk to myself pretty much constantly. This should not be news to most of you. Or, for those of you for whom it is news, it should not be surprising news. Generally these conversations are silent, taking place entirely in my own head. Although there are times, when I think I’m alone, that I’ll have these conversations out loud. This can be amusing when it turns out I’m not actually alone, especially since I tend to make up voices to fit my mood (but that’s perhaps a story for another time).

The thing about these conversations that might be surprising (or not, some of you know me better than I’m willing to admit), is that while sometimes I’m having them with myself, just as often I’m having them with you. I talk to specific people in my head. The girls of note in my life tend to get the bulk of the attention but I also have these conversations with family and friends. Sometimes, it’s for a specific reason (trying to figure out how to tell my Mom I’m growing that beard she hates again), sometimes, it’s just me talking to talk.

One such conversation that occurs relatively frequently, involves introducing a person to someplace that has great significance in my life (right now that mostly means my home town or my college town, but there are other places as well). I say “relatively” because this conversation pretty much only occurs when I’m visiting such a place, which does not happen as often as it should. When I do visit these places, though, I always, without fail, find myself providing a running commentary in my head, directed at a specific person, about everything around me.

I had my first date at a coffee shop up that street. I helped redo the tile floor in that diner. My mom worked at that library. I used to run on these streets for cross country practice. My dad, my brother, and I used to hike together on these trails. My best friend lived down this road. This house is the site of a really funny story that wasn’t all that funny at the time.

That’s the dorm where I lived first year. I had a major crush on a girl who lived in the corner apartment in that building. A group of us went to eat at that sandwich shop, in formal wear. I had a major crush on a girl who lived on the bottom floor of this building. That office is where I worked for Dr. Gorman. I had a major crush on a girl who shared a class with me in that building.

Of course, the conversations I have in my head go into more detail, these are just examples of how they might start. I have a lot of stories in my head that I want to share, and if there’s nobody present to share them with, I’ll create someone. That works well enough for now but it’s all just practice. Someday I’ll be able to inflict all these stories on a real person and I’m really looking forward to that. That is, after all, what I’m practicing for (Oh, the poor girl who gets taken home to meet my parents. She’ll be talked half to death before we even get off the highway… I’ve had eight years to practice those stories.).

So, anyone up for a trip to Charlottesville? (I'll hold off on suggesting Southbury. That's only for the truly brave)