(A Valentine’s Day rerun. Enjoy!)

Salon takes a look at the ones who got away:

Sometimes we let good people go out of our lives. Often, it’s because we don’t see the good until it’s too late and they’re long gone. Just as often, perhaps, it’s because we do see the good, and it’s just not the right time to have it in our lives. And then there are the poisonous or frustrating people we allow to linger too long, the relationships that we draw out because they pain us and the pain feels good, and then when they’re gone there’s a gaping absence where all that pain used to be. There are those we’re not brave enough to kiss, and those we’re not brave enough to hear tell us that they love us, and then there are those who run from our bravery — from our valentines and protestations of eternal devotion.

And so we let those souls who have brought us happiness, companionship, good sex, or maybe just the promise of any of those, spin off into the world. We cut them loose, consciously or unconsciously. And then, later, we think, “Maybe I really let that one get away.”

Which reminds me of a song. (I happen to have written the song, which is probably why I thought of it.) I was inspired by the Beatlesque sound of “That Thing You Do!” and this was the result (think Rickenbacker-jangly and upbeat):

You’ll always the be one
You’ll always be the one
You are the one that got away

My old friends always ask for you
I tell them that you’re fine
It hits me right between the eyes
You never will be mine

You’ll always be the one
You’ll always be the one
You are the one that got away

I could just kick myself
I can’t remember why I let you go
And what’s the difference anyway
This flame still burns inside and so

You’ll always be the one
You’ll always be the one
You are the one that got away

BRIDGE
I leaned on love, I fell
I learned to hide so well
It makes me cry to think
You were the one

It kills me that you’re happy
Am I the only one who fell?
No one could look at you and know
No one could ever tell

That you said I’d be the one
I would always be the one
I was the one that got away
Now you’ll always be the one
You’ll always be the one
You are the one that got away.

So. Tell me about the ones who got away.