Allegheny Love Magic

"Like an old soul meandering through other folks’ matters1

With a cold shore of reasons why nothing ever seemed to stop2

And it’s the things you never really see3

That you come to truly believe in.4

Whether they were ever really real or not." *5

It was a clear night, full of stars and a hunter’s moon.6

We moved along the steep banks of those murky waters, peering deeper inside for some kind of glimpse of the magic that we believed was natural, and supernatural. We believed that we could always see the effects of its spells, though we never really knew how or why it was cast as it was.7

You told me that there was something in those waters that man has never really seen, but had always believed in. Something terrible perhaps, or just something else trying to survive the test of time …8

"Like an old soul meandering through other folks’ matters9

With a cold shore of reasons why nothing ever seemed to stop10

And it’s the things you never really see11

That you come to truly believe in.12

Whether they were ever really real or not"13

We came upon a less formidable shore, with two rocks sitting side by side and some soft sand for our feet. I didn’t see the magic wand appear in your hand, or perhaps just some old piece of driftwood that you used to cast a spell by some new algebraic formula.14

The variables were not new, conjoined by the universal sign of some sort of addition. You wrote your name first, and then added mine- Leaving the resolve of this new-fangled equation open, the unseen and irresolvable X.15

Like the ones that pirates once used on their maps, a measure of distance and space in between any given point of where you were at the moment, and the place where you had buried your greatest treasure; and they vowed would never show anyone where it was. Some kept the map in their head, and some closer to their heart; and treasure hunters and adventurers always believed that there was always something left behind, and unreclaimed.16

You told me that the river would inevitably wash it away, but that that was what you wanted. You said if we stayed there long enough, the river would swallow us up …17

And just maybe, we would become a part of it. 18

Another of its stories, which if perhaps- If it was great enough, maybe it would be one that other people told when they talked about the Allegheny river.19

I didn’t necessarily believe you then, but I used the cold as an excuse to draw you in closer and watched the river waters rise. 20

"Like an old soul meandering through other folks’ matters21

With a cold shore of reasons why nothing ever seemed to stop22

And it’s the things you never really see23

That you come to truly believe in.24

Whether they were ever really real or not."25

You tried on my name like a new hat that you had found, as if perhaps you had expected to find one of your most favorite things to wear. Like the silver charms that dangled on your wrist, that you wore through every season of an everyday life; those significant things that define you and echo quietly of all those places you had been.26

After you had told me what every one of them meant- You told me you had lost it once, and had to retrace every step you had made to go back and find it.27

It seemed a little silly to me then, but harmlessly so.28

I kissed your smile at the second-hand joy at having found it again, and perhaps I surprised you. In those first hours where we dumped our thoughts and memories into a collective pool by the river-side, I tried to hide my feelings behind a pleasant sort of smile that was beginning to seem monotonous.29

I had learned to not really trust my feelings.30

The first kiss seemed a little silly to me then, but harmlessly so.31

You laughed at my awkwardness, and I felt a slight sense of panic before you fell into my side. It became infectious as your tiny little giggles seemed less harmless as you let me hold you there, a wry sort of smile at being the butt of your little joke- But content to the fact that I had made you feel that way.32

You taught me how you wanted to be kissed, in a crazy tangle of hours and moments that we forgot where we were … for just a little while, until it got desperate …33

And then went cold and still.34

The disappointment had not yet fully set in when you noticed that our names had disappeared from the sand. You told me it had happened, but I wasn’t really sure what you meant …35

Not then.36

2.37

"Like an old soul meandering through other folks’ matters38

With a cold shore of reasons why nothing ever seemed to stop39

And it’s the things you never really see40

That you come to truly believe in.41

Whether they were ever really real or not"42

I drove the long way home from another long day of meandering through other folks’ matters, with a cold shore of reasons of why I couldn’t stop to see the things that I never seemed to see when I was too busy living my life through it’s ups and downs. I was tired of earning my living without any real time to live my life …43

And most of all, I was missing you.44

Perhaps that would explain my detour to the other side of the city, where we both had once lived- Across the Liberty Bridge, and into that place where everything began to change. 45

Even before I had gotten out of the car, I felt better.46

I walked down and away from the city that never really seemed to change, but always did- And I stood behind two rocks lain at the river’s edge, and the small soft bank of sand.47

I could almost see our names there still, and it made me smile.48

But I didn’t stay very long before I knew I had to get back home. I didn’t want to have to drive fast, and I turned on the radio. Punching the seek button through the already weary commercials of the stations I listened to, and never really stopping it until I got home.49

I came inside the door to find you sitting with one of your friends at the table, just talking. I thought of something of my dumb luck as I went into the other room and turned on the television.50

I listened distantly to the news as your voice faded in. I really didn’t know how the conversation had began, but I had heard you say that you believed that there really was something in the Allegheny River.51

I smiled as you told that same old story again, about the night we had met- Though I tried to pretend I wasn’t listening. You told her about you had written our names in the sand, and even our first kiss.52

She told you that she didn’t believe in such things, and you shrugged it off as she made ready to leave. You let her go on believing as she would, closing the door and turning towards me with a playful sort of smile, asking me where was your kiss …53

I don’t think I ever really learned how to kiss anyone else.54

"Like an old soul meandering through other folks’ matters55

With a cold shore of reasons why nothing ever seemed to stop56

And it’s the things you never really see57

That you come to truly believe in.58

Whether they were ever really real or not"59

As you kissed me, deeper than usual; I remembered that night again, after you had brought me home- And I just hadn’t left since. As you laid there in my arms, I pulled out a small piece of driftwood from my pocket and set it on your lap.60

“Conjure us up a million bucks,” I said, and you laughed before you told me that the Allegheny didn’t work like that. But I seen the sparkle in your eyes, something like the warm joy you had shown when you told me that you had found your charm bracelet.61

I kissed you again. 62

Like an old soul meandering through other folks’ matters63

With a cold shore of reasons why nothing ever seemed to stop64

And it’s the things you never really see65

That you come to truly believe in.66

Whether they were ever really real or not.67

I believe you now.68

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