Owen Pallett - The Sky Behind The Flag
The only girl I ever fell in love withTaught me how to drink as if it needed to be taughtI'd always give that girl another shot.We danced ourselves through difficult timesA sheet of noise to wash away our grievance, and I leftIn the fading light at the end of the season.
Skippy had first met Clara in an old diner on the corner of two main streets in the city. Despite the run-down interior and the lack of customers, the pink-haired girl had gone about her duties with an air that truly befit her vibrant hair colour. She lit up the entire room whenever she emerged from the kitchen with multiple dishes balanced on her arms, singing along to whatever song was on the jukebox.
Needless to say, it was love at first sight. Skippy had returned the next day towards the end of her shift. They had ended up talking for a while by the back entrance to the diner, then they'd ended up getting a few drinks at a nearby pub, and then they'd ended up back at her place. It had eventually become routine – when morning came, he'd leave silently, but he would always, always return to the diner no matter what.
The drive goes on as our conversationTurns to something something on the radio, then to the drone.The engine is our anniversary song.And I think, as I look over: lucky you.Lucky me and lucky, lucky you.We will be together in our strangeness and our safety.
Of course, Skippy hadn't told her the whole truth. He hadn't told her about the various suitors his mother was trying to match him up with, nor had he told her about his regular business over on the darker side of town. A girl like her should have nothing to do with a scumbag like him; who would eventually bring her more harm than good, one way or another.
But he didn't care. Power could be used to protect as well as to harm; and he swore that the only ones he would harm were those who in turn tried to harm Clara. All those other suitors would never live up to the impression she'd left on his heart, either. Rejection was something they would have to face, just as he'd faced the fact that there was no other girl for him.
Oh, men don't need a miracleOh, they need to lose controlOh, we only need to lose control
Now, it was all going to come together. Pulling up to the diner, he got out of his car as he always did and held the door open for her. Their late night drives were now a regular occurrence for him, but today, things were slightly different. The car boot now contained two suitcases, one for each of them; and in Skippy's pocket, a ring. He felt no regret as he started the engine, knowing he was leaving his old life behind, possibly for good. He imagined the voices of his mother and friends, calling him a madman. He dismissed them immediately. It was all for Clara, after all; and Clara made him the best kind of crazy.
