Slims

A little while ago I was sitting outside and watching the rain when I realized I was humming the theme to Phantom of the Opera. I thought it was odd that I could remember the song, and then I was hit by a flood of memories.

Last year, I had an internship up at Stony Brook University on Long Island. When my girlfriend at the time flew up to visit me, I spent most of the money that I had earned to do something special for her.

We got all dressed up and I took her into the city for dinner and a play. We ate dinner at Jean Georges, and it was the best 340 dollars I have ever spent (she felt like a princess, and the food was good too). After dinner, I took her to see Phantom of the Opera. For some reason, I was able to get front row seats, dead center stage (and got a student discount too).

Front row seats are not normally that good, but for Phantom of the Opera, they were great. The chandelier swung so close above us that I could have touched it. My girlfriend was also a musician, and loved being able to look down and watch the orchestra play. The play was spectacular, better than any movie that I have ever seen. I was totally captivated.

I knew my girlfriend had always dreamed of seeing the Phantom of the Opera on broadway, but I didn't realize how important it was to her until afterwards. It turned out that she had the sound track on tape, but had never listened to the second side for frear of spoiling the ending. She cried for probably ten minutes after the play was over (even though she was all smiles), and she fell asleep in my arms on the ride home.

.....

I have a new girlfriend now, with whom I have fallen in love. If someone came up and asked me to hum the theme to the Phantom of the Opera, I probably wouldn't remember how it went.

But when I noticed myself humming I was overcome by a flood of memories that were so powerfull I could remember all the smells, textures, sights, sounds and feelings of that evening. From the smell of the flowers at dinner to the screeching of the subway. For a few moments I was completely immersed in my own nostalgia. Eventually the vividness faded, and as I sat reminiscing, I thought I should post about it before I forgot about that day all over again.

Have you guys ever had a similar experience?

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"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence