Old Film

Old Film
Written by Aaron Nathans

Every now and then I find them hidden in the dust
Found them when I wasn’t looking, found them when I straighten up
In the pocket of some old blue jeans
Or back behind some magazines
I gather them inside a bag
And tuck ‘em in my drawer
Old film

For years I’ve heard the warnings, they’ve said I shouldn’t wait
They say time breaks down the colors as the picture slowly fades
They were sitting there behind my socks
And I could always hear that ticking clock
But I always had so much to do
And who has time today
For old film

In my story there are gaps
I know there’s missing photographs
Shots I took but never saw
I clicked the shutter, and they were gone

You were one of my great friends, til you gave up your ghost
How could we have gone a lifetime with no pictures of us both
Last night I saw you in a dream
You were smiling back at me
And I woke and I opened up
That drawer and felt around
For old film

I trembled like I cracked the lock
That opened up Pandora's box
What secrets lie inside those little cans
I couldn’t know

The man behind the counter says I think we did okay
And he fires up a computer, grabs a disk and presses play
And there you are in faded tones
It was my birthday and my friends all showed
And somewhere deep inside my brain
I felt something come alive
We were standing in that crazy bar
And you let my borrow your guitar
And I look so young and you look so free
As you played your mandolin
And if I could have the color back
In these less than vivid photographs
I’d have lost this visit here with you
Memories made new, by
Old film