Time After Time—The Story of My Street Corner

I’m driving in my car, listening to the radio, when Lois Gilbert comes on playing, “Time After Time” on her harmonica. She does this song justice. I listen; my ears kvell.

But it’s not the modern version of that song that’s playing in your head. This one is a romantic jazz standard from 1947, with lyrics by Sammy Cahn and music by Jule Styne. This one is written for Frank Sinatra to introduce the MGM film, “It Happened in Brooklyn.”

Of course, you don’t remember the lyrics to that song because you weren’t even born in 1947. Of course, you did not watch, “It Happened in Brooklyn.” It’s also from 1947.”

But if you had, these are the lyrics you would have heard.

Time after time, I tell myself that I’m
So lucky to be loving you
So lucky to be the one you run to see
In the evening, when the day is through

I only know what I know, the passing years will show
You’ve kept my love so young, so new
And time after time, you’ll hear me say that I’m
So lucky to be loving you

My brain changes channels and I hear, “Well, those were the days my friends. I thought they’d never end.” Love simplified. Life simplified.

As I drive past the intersection of University Drive and Griffin Road in the town of Davie, I remember a time in the 70s when I drove past that intersection and hooded Klansmen in their ghost-white robes held signs of hate in my face and waved their Confederate flags.

Time after time, I shot them the bird. Ten years later, at that same intersection, members of the Tea Party stood holding their “Don’t Tread on Me” signs and their Confederate flags. Time after time, I shot them the bird.

And starting in 2016 these children of the Klan hooted and howled and carried MAGA and Confederate flags and Trump 2016 or Trump 2020 or Trump 2024 flags.

Time after time, I shot them the bird knowing their grandparents were racist, their parents were bigots and they were the intolerant offspring of the ugly American.

I hear Lois stop playing her harp. The car falls silent. And I realize, “That love was never simple and life was never simple and that there will always be evil people on this planet.”