We'll always have Paris

Watching the tail end of "Casablanca" this afternoon reminded me of love and loss, selflessness, how music can transport you back to another time, how memorable movie lines like 'here's looking at you, kid' resonate in the deep recesses of the romantic heart.

The line that stuck with me was "We'll always have Paris." How many of us can say that there was one person that we spent some time with in our past, and that they got away...maybe the line would be "we'll always have Vegas" or "we'll always have Venice." I can think of a few friends who have shared their stories with me and I love how they tell the story. They set the scene, describe the man they met, how they met him and how the story unfolded - the days spent getting to know each other, the nights spent learning each other - and then the bittersweet goodbye. One said they even tried to keep it going, a long distance romance that grew more and more distant in their hearts until they could no longer keep up the ruse. But, they would always have 'X'.

Since I have never really travelled anywhere, I don't have Paris or any other place for that matter. So I started thinking that it wouldn't have the same ring to it if you were to say "we'll always have Saskatoon" or "Esterhazy" or how about "Medicine Hat"? And the only thing that comes to mind with these is the likelihood of it being frosty and cold, involving the warming up or breaking down of a car, and that the 'hero' of the story played hockey, football or farmed. Definitely, not Bogie.

But maybe it isn't the rich destination that you need - maybe it's just the feelings you have at the time. It's those romantic exchange of glances, the moments when you realize there is indeed chemistry, the butterflies you get when they're a little closer to you, the first time that you touch, the first kiss - the time spent together, the feelings that you had, the romance of it all...but if that's all it is, then why doesn't "We'll always have the copy room" have the same romantic attraction?

Nope - there's something about Paris...and something I hope to experience.