Jukebox

Rod Stewart was doing a comeback if he had ever been away; all of a sudden he had a new hit, anyway. Out came the inevitable new album and run of music videos. At the time, I was living with a single-digit son in a close and friendly community, partnered to a loving man who lived overseas, and temporarily free from a violent ex. I was socializing with the locals and we were happy for a couple of years. I had good neighbors, whom I could rely on and trust.

The guy next door and another man from down the street invited the lady next door and I to the pub in the nearby town. Enjoying the social aspect of my new neighborhood friendships, after over a year of being tied to a vicious manipulative ex and having a lover who lived a long way away, I was quite happy to attend, along with my toddler of a kid who would be more than happy to sip a lemonade while his Mom drank something a little stronger.

The lady next door and I tarted ourselves up in order to make the most of the event and earn our free drinks from the guys, and set off. Missing the bus as it passed the street corner, I hurried her along to the other end of the street, where we caught it a few stops later, after it had twisted about some back streets. That way, we did not have to walk for half an hour, nor wait half an hour for the next piece of public transport.

Meeting with the guys, they sat us down and bought our drinks and we prepared to chatter away about meaningless nothings and enjoy the atmosphere. I was offered to pick a couple of tunes on the jukebox, one of which was a Rod Stewart one. I was not particularly devoted to the guy or his music, but I thought the song matched the aura of a fun time with friends.

Now, whenever I hear this song, it brings back the memory of that trip out. These days, I still have a partner who lives in America, whilst I currently dwell in Australia, but I tend to drink at home more than the local pubs. It has been a long time since I popped down the local with the locals. This song reminds me of a time when I did just that.