The Ghosts Of The Past

A couple nights ago, my fiancé invited me out for drinks at a West Village bar. He needed to stop by to visit with friends who were in town for business.

It was a bunch of guys and me, but it didn't bother me at all. My fiancé has had to put up with the reverse scenario with a bunch of chatty women, so I sipped my beer and listened.

One guy started telling a story about an old friend of theirs from Minneapolis. Recently, they went out, and the friend's drinking was out of control.

As the story unfolded, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The friend started drinking around noon, did shots all day, eventually became really mean and wanted to start fist fights. He punched a window, said inappropriate things to women, and somehow cut his hand open. He had no recollection of what happened in the morning.

The guys at the table chuckled and all said, "Yep, he's a wild one." The guy telling the story said, "I kinda feel sorry for his wife."

That comment put me over the edge. I excused myself from the table and went to the bathroom to collect myself. Even though I didn't know the friend, I felt like I knew his wife because my ex put me through the exact same hell with his drinking.

Sometimes, the ghosts of our past reappear unexpectedly, and it all comes rushing back. This one snuck up on me, and I'm sure yours have caught you off guard, too. What are the triggers that bring back hidden memories for you?