#Colleen Murphy x Bruce Jansen : Tradewinds & Coconut Milk verse

[colleenmurphy]

"Hey it's me I just...I'm sorry. I still love you I just want you to be happy."

Was the message that David Sullivan left for Colleen Murphy right before he hung up the receiver that seemed to feel like it weighed a ton. The booze was hitting him now, Black Velvet and Diet Coke with had always been Col's favorite 'guilty tipple' when they were out sailing for some uncharted place, not that he ever let her steer the boat. He honestly hadn't known that she had her boating license let alone an international one. Why hadn't he thought to ask her any of this? They could have sailed full time together, like she was now with the guy she met in Florida. Now last he'd heard from her mother when he called a week ago was that they were now enjoying a vacation together. Her and what's his face. Minnie had said this schmuck looked like Kurt Russell. But he was blonde and tanned and gentle with Colly. Fuck. Florida. What was the place called? Slumping down into the captain's chair of the 'Green Eyed Lady' Dave wracked his brain through the alcohol haze.

"Fuck. FLORIDA!"

The fact that his ex girlfriend was now sailing a vessel that he could only dream of setting foot while setting down roots with a guy so totally the opposite of him, he had been good to her...hadn't he? He thought so. Now she was following the Coconut Milk Run with some blonde southern hunk that looked like her favorite actor while he piddled away time taking charter runs for tourists. Rolling onto his side he reached up and turned on the sound system on the outdoor deck.

we got eighty feet of the waterline, nicely making way. In a noisy bar in Avalon, I tried to call you. But on a midnight watch I realized why twice you ran away.

Her favorite song. Of fucking course. A hazy flash of memory smacked him as he tried to calm himself. Another slug from the bottle of black velvet would do it. Lost in his memory he saw it fold out in his mind's eye. She had gone out with Helene, her best friend for a night on the town. Something big and very important had come in the mail that day and she had decided to celebrate. He waved her off as he was trying to get ready for a guys night himself and left her with a distracted kiss. Fast forward to him getting home at 6AM the following morning and seeing seven messages on the answering machine from Colleen to come and pick them up since they were having car trouble and it was late, nearly 2 AM. Dave was all the way in Jersey at that moment in time tangled up with a stripper named Kelly. Colleen and Helene finally managed to get a lift from Hel's Dad who was the one trying to call him right now. A groan escaped his lips as the memory faded. He couldn't quite put the puzzle pieces together but they were forming. If he had only asked what had come in the mail he'd have known and gone out to celebrate with them. That had been the day she had received her boating licensure and the title to the Trade Winds vessel. A surprise for him as a big anniversary gift even though they weren't married or even engaged. Just together for ten years.

Flicking the dial it seemed every station, including the weather and talk radio channels, were playing it.

"What the fuck..."

You will survive being bested. Somebody fine will come along, make me forget about loving you at the Southern Cross.

Her final message to him. She was just fine and he'd best go find his own happiness. She didn't want him muddying hers anymore than he already had.