To not run away (dnf)

Following year came, and I was on my way to see the palm trees, the familiar mossy oak, and the hot weather.

" Have you visited, you know who, yet?" She says as we chat over our morning coffee.

" Who exactly are we talking about here?"

"Clay," she says with an eyebrow raised, "I think you know exactly what we're talking about here." She got me.

"I haven't." "Are you going to?"

I scrunch my nose, "Why are we even talking about you know who?"

Does he even remember me? I barely remember half the people that I talk to. So why would he remember a person that he talked to only for a month? "Probably," I still ended up saying.

Leaning my head on the table, I twirl my finger around my coffee cup. "You should, I think," Mom says. " It'll be good for you," she clatters her nails against the cup, " to see him again."

"Yeah."

Dandy Town looks mostly the same. A new paint job. Maybe some new flowers up in the front. Other than that it's still the same.

The first place I saw him. I wonder if it still has that cute bell. Guess we'll see.

My hands shake. The bell sings.

" Hello, welcome to Dandy Town," My heart jumps. He's unloading a brand new box. he doesn't even notice me as his hair is hanging over his golden circular glasses.

Nostalgia is peculiar. After a year, being in his presence, the memories come back to me.

And now, I see his gentle hands taking out a teapot and putting it on the counter. I see his nose scrunching up in concentration. I see his eyes that are dark like dirt. Dirt for new beginnings. New flowers being planted.

Maybe if I take a memory and give it back to him, maybe there would be some spark of recognition.

" You know, a friend once told me that Dr Pepper was better than Coke."