CLOUDS IN MY COFFEE

Most of us have had the experience of hearing a song that suddenly transports us to some other time and place. I find this happening to me frequently. Without any warning, a few chords will trigger memories of sights, sounds, and even smells that have been absent from my consciousness for a very long time. I see and hear people whom I haven’t thought about in years so vividly that I find myself intrigued by the experience. My heart and mind are conquered in a second, and I am overwhelmed.

Most people are familiar with this experience. I know I am not the only one who finds themselves teary-eyed at the sound of a few notes, a church hymn, or a favorite song.

What I’m not familiar with is for a melody to invade my consciousness at the mere mention of a common word. Maybe I’m getting old. The arbitrary word was “cloudy.” It was a suggestion for a writing assignment. Instead of thinking about it within its usual context regarding the weather, Carly Simon began singing in my ear. She was belting  out the tune, “You’re So Vain,”  and the needle was stuck on the words “There were clouds in my coffee.” I find this phenomenon fascinating. It was only one random word!

In the spirit of full disclosure, I admit I had recently read an article where Ms. Simon elaborated on her inspiration for those words. Perhaps that is why a simple word had such an impact on me. She was on a cross-country plane ride with a friend. He noticed the clouds outside the window and observed their reflection in her drink. He announced there were clouds in her coffee.  If one of my poetic friends made this declaration, I doubt the phrase would ever have been committed to paper. Thankfully, the words were spoken to Carly and were destined to become part of a shared cultural consciousness so deep that the mere mention of a term brought back a song from my life’s playlist.

Although I didn’t dissect the meaning of those lyrics when I was younger, I was compelled to examine their meaning now that I reached a certain vintage. I  pay closer attention now. I am looking and listening more. Ms. Simon stated that the words are meant to signify the confusing aspects of life and love. She explains that you can’t see through the clouds which signifies a sort of mirage. You may not be seeing what you think you see. Why didn’t I listen to those words more closely???