Sunday, February 5, 2017

The Platters

 Artist: The Platters
LP: The Flying Platters
Song: "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter"
[ listen ]

This afternoon I was listening to this 1957 LP by The Platters while doing some chores, and when "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" came on, these lyrics triggered a funny memory: I'm gonna write words oh so sweet, they're gonna knock me off my feet; a lot of kisses at the bottom, I'll be glad I got em.

I suddenly remembered the time during my first year in college when my friend Angie found me writing a letter to my friend Vladimir back home in Yakima. I was at BYU, a conservative Mormon school in the middle of Utah, and I was lonely and miserable. Only Vladimir seemed to understand. I was writing the letter in the HFAC Building, relating personal miseries both social and romantic, when my friend Angie suddenly appeared, saw the letter, and accused me of having an imaginary friend.

Thoroughly embarrassed, I feebly insisted that Vladimir was real, but she could read me like a book. Besides, there's probably never been a person named Vladimir in Yakima, Washington since the city was founded back in 1883. Why didn't I pick 'Steve,' or maybe 'Ramón?' Or maybe if the people of Provo, Utah hadn't been such lousy friends, I wouldn't have had to invent a phony one in the first place! Anyway, it was nice to have somebody to talk to who actually 'got' me. I'd love to be able to read that letter now. I wonder if I put any kisses at the bottom.


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