No Promises -- I’m sorry Amanda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otfn42u6dAE

I told the most beautiful young woman today about us, well about you really.

No Promises by Cheat Codes gently wafted over the air like baking bread. Pleasant to the senses, but not overwhelming.

"God I hate this song" she snorted. Platinum blonde hair twisted into a single ponytail over her shoulder whipped around derisively as she scuffed at the song swinging her head angrily. "Promise me no promises? It's an oxy-moron". Pouty lips pursed punctuatively. "I mean it's a good song" she shrugged "but the lyrics piss me off."

I was thoughtful for a few seconds. "I had a woman in my life a few years back. I managed to lose her." I pulled out my phone, and flicked up, causing the password screen to come on. "You see, she didn't expect much of me, but she asked me to give 100% all the time, always be honest with her, and never make a promise I couldn't keep. That's why I ultimately lost her, I think." I tapped Instagram on my phone as I talked, and started scrolling through my friends to bring up her profile. "You see, I made 2 promises I couldn't keep, and it cost me our relationship."

"Seems a bit harsh" she screwed up her face and wrinkled her understated nose. "You couldn't keep only 2 promises? High maintenance much?"

I scrolled through her pictures. She had a fantastic one in a black dress from about a month ago. I've seen some fantastic pictures of her, but this one may be the best photo she's ever taken. The dress was form fitting, and showed her abs, but along both hips starting at her belly button and running down to her calves, 2 sheer pieces of fabric run horizontally towards her hips, and then down the front of the dress on the outside. It takes any hot blooded, straight man about 3 seconds to realize, she's not wearing any panties, because there are no straps. I turned the phone around to show the girl the visage of the woman I loved so deeply.

"I think, they are saying that you shouldn't make promises you can't keep. At least that's what I think about every time I hear this song. That's what it means to me."

She processed the picture for a few moments as I held the phone a foot from her nose."Holy shit" She laughed "yeah you fucked up dude. She was into you?" She walked away shaking her head.

I had only told her half the truth. I made promises every day.

I promised her I loved her. I promised her I lusted for her. I promised I would be a better man than her physically and emotionally abusive husband. I promised I would be there for her. I promised that our love life wouldn't be once-a-week-after-watching-sports-center-one-night. I promised her I would only cheer against her Patriots when they were playing my Broncos. I promised I would prop her up. I promised her I would take care of her. I promised I would love her on her worst days, when her Lupus was as painful to her as being dipped in lava. I promised to forgive her for her bad days, and I promised to never have a bad day with her. I promised her I would keep writing erotica about us, for her. I promised her I'd drive to California and swim to her if the cartoons were right and San Andreas Fault ever dumped her in the ocean. I promised her we'd have children. I promised her a mix-tape of all of the songs that make me think about her. I promised to never forget her birthday. And I promised that her short temper didn't bug me. I promised her everything.

And I delivered almost nothing. I loved her, to be true. I lusted for her, certainly. If we had ever bridged the gap, I would have been there for her. I know our sex life would have been better than once a week, and I doubt I would have been able to celebrate her Patriots, but I would have tried. That's about it, though.

I do genuinely believe I broke 2 promises to her, that caused her to throw in the towell though.

You see, I promised I'd leave my wife for her, and I promised I'd never make a promise that I couldn't keep.

At least I'm glad every time I hear the song, I smile the same way I'd smile every day when I got an e-mail from her. And I realize it's because I'm thinking of all the promises I'd make to her, and how she'd reply.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, babe. ~.~"