The woman receives a call from a friend who asks about the background music she is listening to, an LP record given to her over 40 years ago by her former lover Jack. She reminisces about their romance that ended when Jack joined the army, never wrote to her, and returned married to another woman. Though she still has mementos of their time together, she insists she is over him and too busy with her career and cats named after his children to fall in love again.

1. English

2. Darling, I’m so glad to hear from you after such a long time!

3. The background music you’re hearing, you say? Yes, it’s really nice, Jack gave me this LP as a gift more than forty years ago, I can’t even remember when.

4. It was so long ago. We were in love and we were young. Then he entered the Army, went abroad, he never wrote to me. When he came back, he brought a wife with him.

5. If you knew how much I cried then! I was a romantic fool, allowing my adolescent dreams to override common sense.

6. I still have a snapshot someone took of us at the Prom, when we were dancing,

7. and the bunch of flowers that he gave me before he left. That’s all.

8. But that means nothing, I collect all types of souvenirs.

9. No, I didn’t marry, dear. My parents needed me, you know, so I never left home. I’ve worked all my life and I made a successful career.

10. I have a very good job, a beautiful home filled with comfort and charm, and two adorable cats that never leave me alone.

11. I called one Dorothy

12. and the other Edward – yes, don’t laugh, the names of Jack’s children. They’re beautiful names!

13. By the way, I see them almost every day. They’re grown-ups, of course. When they pass me on the sidewalk they say hi with a nod, o with a smile.

14. Sometimes, only sometimes, I’ve daydreamed that they could have been my own. Fate decided otherwise.

15. Still in love with him? Of course not, you say the silliest things. There’s no place for love in my life, I’m too busy. It just happens that we’re neighbors, and we often see each other on the street.

16. Besides, that old romance finished forty years and three months ago, just imagine, a whole life!

17. Sorry, darling, I’m afraid I’ve just picked up some allergy, my throat is kind of closed and my eyes are watering, perhaps the roses near the phone…

18. You made me real happy by calling, but next time, please, let’s avoid mentioning Jack, will you?

19. After all, it happened decades ago, I can’t even remember most things … Text: Gina Fazi Graphic Work: GiEffebis@alice.it English: mussonor@gmail.com