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You Too

For the "This Is How I Remember It" Challenge

By Sandy GillmanPublished 7 months ago 1 min read
You Too
Photo by Cody Chan on Unsplash

Nightfall comes,

I climb into bed.

I lie down.

My head hits the pillow.

I close my eyes.

And then it starts.

I’ve mind-travelled back to this afternoon.

I’m sitting there at the bustling café,

waiting for my coffee and banana bread.

The waiter strides over

and says, “Enjoy your meal.”

I say, “You too.”

After a moment of pause,

he turns and walks away,

and I’m left a stammering mess.

Why do I always do that?

Why am I so socially awkward?

Can’t I be normal for once?

Now I’m lying here,

12:47 a.m.,

replaying the moment

over and over in my head.

Did I notice a furrow of his brow?

Did I see a tiny smirk?

I’m sure I saw him joke

with the other staff member on duty.

If I replay it over and over in my mind,

will I get it right next time?

I took a bite of my warm, soft banana bread.

I had a sip of my strong, smooth coffee.

But I’d ruined it for myself.

I pulled my hoodie over my head

and walked out the door,

looking down in shame.

I’m on a diet.

I shouldn’t have even had banana bread,

but I thought it would be better than cake.

If I hadn’t had caffeine so late in the day,

then I’d be able to sleep,

and this whole situation wouldn’t have happened.

I wonder how many slices of banana bread

I’ve eaten over my lifetime.

Haha, banana is a funny word.

How could…

Zzz.

For FunFree VerseStream of Consciousness

About the Creator

Sandy Gillman

I’m a mum to a toddler, just trying to get through the day. I like to write about the ups and downs of parenting. I’m not afraid to tell it like it is. I hope you’ll find something here to laugh, relate to, and maybe even learn from.

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Comments (15)

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  • Caitlin Charlton3 months ago

    It's so hard not to think of them as the exact same as us. When we say the wrong thing, it consumes us because they are not us in that moment... Maybe it's the little we know about them that makes the mistake so catastrophic... 🤔 I love how this feels as though it was happening in real time. How you noticed the little things. How time seems to stop. After those little things are noticed. Will I get it right next time. The chances are slim lol. I am sipping hot chocolate right now. So this was so perfect for me to sit and read under my blanket. 'How could...' Oh it really felt like you fell asleep there. I can't express how much I loved this. This was perfect. Because it was relatable. And your skill in being able to draw pauses to mimic the awkwardness. Outstanding work 🤗❤️🖤

  • Raymond G. Taylor3 months ago

    Ha ha, I wish I had a dollar for every stupid or embarrassing thing I'd ever said. Loved the ending!

  • Rachel Robbins3 months ago

    Most nights… so relatable.

  • Tiffany Gordon7 months ago

    Cute stuff Sandy! 😁🫶🏾

  • Laura Rodben7 months ago

    I love your description of the awkward moment as I can relate. Lately it has happened to me a hundred of times as I am learning Finnish and all I can say is "kiitos" = "thank you"; they say "kiitos", I say "kiitos". Even when after saying it, I know I should've said the equivalent of "you're welcome" = "ole hyvä". Thank you for making us all feel less socially awkward.

  • Staringale7 months ago

    Banana bread and coffee - i have to try this combination. But it is true stopping yourself is very hard because everything looks twice as good when you are on diet

  • Mariann Carroll7 months ago

    I love your poem. I also love a slice of a banana bread. Thanks for playing this morning Riddle. Tip $ 2.00 here. 🥰

  • A delightful poem… thoroughly relatable! I’ve given up on greeting people with “Good afternoon” (or morning) because I can’t keep track of the time.

  • At first I was like "Mmmm, yummy!" Then I was mortified and then I started laughing. Loved your poem!

  • Mother Combs7 months ago

    lol, but relatable also

  • I like the way you tackle reality-based situations, Sandy, with warmth and humour-although they may be hard to address. Well done. And love this!

  • Seema Patel7 months ago

    At least it made him smile, in a monotonous job.

  • Hahah. Always a fun and genuine reads your real life experiences. @Sandy Gillman

  • Denise E Lindquist7 months ago

    Thank you for the reminder. Not fun.❤️

  • This reminds me of me, thankyou for sharing xx

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