I give love a bad name

I was running some errands the other day, listening to this radio station, (call letters are Jack, ironically).

It usually plays a fairly decent mix of music, though MM has warned me that they like to play blocks of Bon Jovi on monday mornings. (So I avoid monday mornings). So far, I had heard some good stuff, like "Last Dance For Mary Jane", "Just Like Heaven" by the Cure, and other things. Its a very eclectic radio station.

After a commercial, they started playing, well. Bon Jovi. "You Give Love A Bad Name." And bang. There it was. Suddenly, I was a junior in high school again, riding the school bus, listening to all the kids giggle because a boy I had broken up with was singing this AT me.

He was bitter, I guess. But let me give the back story.

I never liked this boy.

Sure, he was nice enough. He sure liked me. My friends poked and pestered me about him, constantly. His name was Marcus. Pick pick pick, nagging me to give him a chance. I did what a lot of kids do, I gave in. I dated him, because my friends so desperately wanted me to. Stupid.

Well, it lasted less than 2 weeks. During that two weeks, I was gifted with candy, stuffed animals, even a dozen roses. For no good reason. (found out later he stole the money to buy me those things.) I was hung upon, never left alone. Pestered, to death. Called constantly. Never ending.

At the end of one of those phone calls, he told me he loved me.

I said

No you don't. ( I was seventeen. I knew the truth, even if HE didn't)

the next day I broke up with him

and that was the day I gave love a bad name.

And now? How many years later? (almost 23)

I still think of Marcus when I hear that damned song.