Game Store and a Passing Connection, A

In that little mall up in the north 
I would buy my games there at tiny store you ran
At that tiny store that still had the old sign over the entrance 
Before the big name change rolled out

Are you still alive today?

I liked our micro-connections
I liked our hellos
Our little chats
Not unlike many others
But nice all the same

Did you lean harder into the uppers over the years?
Did they do you in?

Would my memory find you
If you came across me today?

You feel to me like one who would not forget 
Not forget me, not forget the little store up north 
Not forget what I sent you 

I forgot that for years 

Handled like a gentleman
You sought permission
You promised you would destroy it
When finished with it
If I permitted you to use it 

I don’t doubt you used it 

I’ll never know if you destroyed it or not 

Somehow I really believe you did
But if not
It’s ok
I don’t really mind
Since no one would really know 

If I saw you today
What would I say?

Surely, I would ask:
How are you?
Are you still dancing at music festivals?

I never noticed the way you looked at me sometimes
(Yeah, THAT look)
I only knew because you told me about it

I wonder how many times you used it?

If I saw you again today
Surely, I would want to ask:
Did you find love again?
Did you remarry?

I never looked back the same way

There was always something so honest about you
I trusted you
I think I still would, if I met you again today 

I haven’t seen you for so long 

If I saw you again today
I think I would want to ask:
Are you staying out of the drugs?
Do you still hurt like you used to?

Then I would silently wonder
Or maybe in a quiet place
With no one around to hear
I’d look at the ground and whisper
As if speaking of secrets:

Do you still have the photo?