You Don't Sing Me Love Songs Any More

Back in the days when our love was new, my husband wrote and recorded a couple of songs about me. I felt that I should return the favor. But the thing is, I suck at songwriting. I managed to string together the lyrics with lines so long and lame that Burt Bacharach couldn’t put it to music, and neither could I. And so I put it aside.

Last night Don and I were talking about our usernames over time (which is about as romantic as we get.) I explained how I started out many years ago on the BBS as “popcorn” which I was munching on at the time. I soon saw that the guys were not talking to me with such an androgynous name, so I came up with the seductive, “msamore.” I asked Don if I was still using that when we met online. Well, yes I was, and he thought it pretentious, but decided to talk to me anyway. I was aghast and popped out of my chair, hands on hips,

“PRETENTIOUS? How is it pretentious? I thought it was actually a bit too dirty.”

And then it came to me – his go-to login name – the simple string of characters that I fell in love with.

“Did I ever show you the song I wrote about you?”

Not that he recalled.

“Let me see if I can find it.”

Sure enough, there it was in all its glory, created 2/11/2005. Oh this was exciting! I had unearthed a lost testament to our love. I began reading it to him.

“Can this wait?” he interrupted. “I need another 15 minutes to finish what I’m doing.”

He was annoyed, and I was crushed. When he eventually spoke again, I pouted,

“You know I’m not going to read this to you now? I’ll email it to you.”

Later, when I saw him playing chess on his computer, I asked how he liked his song. Um, he had not read it yet. Still later as he walked off to bed, I asked again. Um, he didn’t want to read it when he was tired…he’ll look at it in the morning.

It’s now 9:30 pm, and neither of us has mentioned it. It will be another 8 years before I bring it up again. Hmph!

DSR101

Paula A. Wray

Up again so late at night, another lonely quest
I must connect with someone soon, before I get my rest
Bits across the monitor spell empty promises
Men advertise their qualities so I will be impressed

I’d long since given up the search for princes on white horses.
The ones left looking were the spawn of lost love and divorces.
A one-night date, a loveless tryst was all I’d come to hope for
Then letters on my puter screen would set me off my courses.

DSR one-oh-one
You took me by surprise
DSR one-oh-one
Our lives together have just begun

Was it the roses you brought along the first day our eyes met.
Was it the truth you always put into the stories I’ll never forget
Was it the call you made to your sister to tell her you wouldn’t be home.
You didn’t want her to worry that you’d been caught inside my net.

DSR one-oh-one
You took me by surprise
DSR one-oh-one
Our lives together have just begun

Sometimes life is hard to bear, sometimes we think we’re done
Sometimes we give up too soon, before the setting sun.
I’ve had my happy ending now, the rest is just the icing
I’m happy with my prince for life, DSR one-oh-one.

DSR one-oh-one
You took me by surprise
DSR one-oh-one
Our lives together have just begun

Ugh, maybe it’s best that he didn’t read it.