I remember!

Today I see the wet brick streets
And red lamppost shops
Of Montreal
I smell the green grass of Vancouver
I taste the sweet coconut of that sticky bun
You bought me from the supermarket behind the climbing gym
And the tang of the blood that encircled my calf as I cried happily at the sharp jet of shower water pounding deep into the gash,
And stepping out onto the heated tiles and filling up on the warm oatmeal of the B&B we stayed at during my first lead climbing competition.

I made it one hold from the top, sacrificing my leg behind the rope in a wild leap.

I taste the creamy sweet of a chocolate Fatburger milkshake shared against the snow under feet heading back with you from the Calgary mall (we hit the food court and browsed Anthropologie).
I can taste the ripe tomato cut with feta in the salad we shared in the evening
At East Side Marios after the movie and Asian salad kit we shared.
…all you can eat bread is the best…
I remember many early Tim Hortons mornings
And some midday breakfast sandwich excursions
And many dinners of burgers and spaghetti.
I remember the mountain view in Banff as we rolled in to Nora Jones, me cross-legged in the passenger seat beside you
Scribbling out the thesis to my essay on The Odyssey (I only got 72% on that one).

I always thought I had a poor memory but I remember all of these in the crunchiest, most savory and sunny melody. Like running my hand along an ancient Egyptian bead
Formed by someone’s hands
On this very earth
Thousands of years ago.

It’s wondrous I remember every one of these details– and I do! Do you?
I guess I have a pretty good memory after all.

I know you remember because these moments under the sun are the most flavourful and leave a tang in your mouth that’s impossible to wash away.
Every climb I did, every move I did was for you. Every mile, every gas station pee-break you drove was for me.
Seems like a pretty good deal.

And so this is what’s prompted me to buy my first car, mom and dad.

It’s not because I want to hit the road and leave forever, or because I’d like to be able to drive to the supermarket for midnight chips. I’d like to adventure into the world again–
Maybe this time I’ll drive you there.