"Do I Have Your ..." by Ricky

There are so many words that could complete the title sentence. Some will be funny and some not funny but obnoxious and I will spare the reader any examples which one can easily create one’s-self. Many examples could be serious, romantic, or even insulting, but only one word will due for my written memory.

Last Tuesday, 3 September, my friend Donald and I were eating dinner at the Odyssey Italian restaurant in Denver. During the meal, I enjoyed listening to the Italian background music. While waiting for the server to finish clearing the table of our used dishes, I noticed that the song playing in the background was no longer Italian but was being sung in French. In spite of the language, it sounded familiar and mentioned that to Donald. Suddenly, recognition hit with emotional force catching me totally unprepared and I quietly began to sob pushing my napkin into my mouth to stifle the noise until the song finished. The song was being sung in French with great emotion and with an orchestra accompanying. The combination of the beautiful music and tenor voice just overwhelmed me because it was OUR SONG and she has been gone 12-years next Sunday, September 15th. Until that night, I have never felt the grief of her passing and I was finally able to release some of that pent-up sorrow.

So for me, the only word that can complete the title sentence is “love” as in “Do I Have Your Love.”

Our song is the July 17th, 1965 version by the Righteous Brothers of Unchained Melody.

Unchained Melody

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrK5u5W8afc

Oh my love my darling
I've hungered for your touch
A long lonely time
And time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me

Lonely rivers flow to the sea to the sea
To the open arms of the sea
Lonely rivers sigh wait for me wait for me
I'll be coming home wait for me

Oh my love my darling
I've hungered, hungered for your touch
A long lonely time
And time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unchained_Melody

Deb & Ricky - BYU Military Ball

© 9 September 2013

About the Author

I was born in June of 1948 in Los Angeles, living first in Lawndale and then in Redondo Beach. Just prior to turning 8 years old in 1956, I began living with my grandparents on their farm in Isanti County, Minnesota for two years during which time my parents divorced.

When united with my mother and stepfather two years later in 1958, I lived first at Emerald Bay and then at South Lake Tahoe, California, graduating from South Tahoe High School in 1966. After three tours of duty with the Air Force, I moved to Denver, Colorado where I lived with my wife and four children until her passing away from complications of breast cancer four days after the 9-11 terrorist attack.

I came out as a gay man in the summer of 2010. I find writing these memories to be therapeutic.

My story blog is TheTahoeBoy.Blogspot.com