Among Friends

[GingerPeach]

Back in 1993, I was absolutely looking forward to the Stephen King mini-series The Tommyknockers.  I took a shower, dried my hair, and settled in to watch.

What's interesting is that now, when I blow my hair dry, I sometimes flash back to the anticipation I felt on those nights - even after all these years.  

Does anyone else ever have this type of connection when there was something you anticipated so much that now, whenever you do the thing that you did right before, you still remember what you were waiting for, even though it's long past?

[Q4u]

Yes, associative feelings with certain acts that I remember being happy about come quite often....

ALSO.... I remember wearing a fantastic suede poncho (back in the late 70's) out with some friends.  The poncho had a strong "suede" leather smell.  I got severely car sick during the ride (we went up to the mountains to a party with friends)....  I couldn't wear that poncho after that because the smell of the suede actually made me carsick again~! That whoosy feeling came every time I tried to wear that poncho.  I eventually donated it.....        

[Chrystaltree2]

No, I can't identify with that anticipation thing.  I don't know if I even understand it.  However, certain smells, tastes, places do bring on feelings of grief because they bring me back to me some terrible event or grievous loss.  Like a particular type of Christmas candy.  We called them "peanut butter pillows".  They were about a half inch long, a hard pink candy that was filled with peanut butter.  My Nana, who I was named after and who I absolutely adored loved those candies.  We were a large extended family, my grandparents were as close to us as our parents.  One Saturday, my Nana and I got all dressed up and we went "down town" to look at Christmas decorations and "browse".  We had lunch at the restaurant that was in Jordan Marsh.  A very big deal for an 10 year old!  We stopped at a candy store and Nana bought her favorite candy, Peanut Butter Pillows.  It was the best day ever!  Three days later, my Nana had a heart attack and died instantly.  One minute she was her normal self, the next minute she was gone.  Whenever I see those candies, it all comes back to me in flash.  Everything.  Nana collapsing, the ambulance, the sirens, the paramedics telling us is that she was "gone".  My mom and my great aunt crying.  The gut wrenching grief, the funeral.  The haunted, hopeless look on my grandfather's face that remained until he passed away just a few years later.  In a split second....it all comes back!   It's been 45 years and yet a little piece of candy brings it all back.