Eloise

I decided a long time ago, that if I ever had a chance to choose my own first name, I would choose Eloise. I like the way it sounds, the musicality of it. It took me some time to understand that the reason I liked the name Eloise so much went back to when I first heard and saw Barry Ryan perform a song on TV by that name. It was 1968, and I was 11. I remember sitting in the soft white leather armchair in our plush living room, and as my mother was mostly oblivious to me, it was easy to sneak into the living room and watch TV undisturbed. I sat there mesmerized, with my boy cut short hair, and demure plaid jumper, and ugly dark socks and shoes, seeing this handsome guy in a white suit , on a white horse, singing passionately in English about this beautiful long haired.,long eye lashed girl. " My Eloise is like the stars that please the night, The sun that makes the day, that lights the way..." The lyrics started a fire in my heart that never went out. "Every night I'm there,I break my heart to please Eloise, Eloise"... The passion and despair in the song were so strong, the desperate plea of a man so in love, he almost loses his mind, it was a hell of a way to be introduced to the world of tormented romance. "My Eloise, I'd love to please her, I' love to care, but she's not there, And when I find you,I'd be so kind, You'd want to stay, I'd know you'd stay"... It was riveting and Barry Ryan made it so believable, so real, even though the setting on the beach in the TV video, with him on a white horse, with a white cape flowing behind him, as he belted out his despair and heart break, were a bit cheeky, it was all very convincing. To hear the song again  after all these years sent the same surge of fire through me. To be loved that strongly, that passionately, all these years later it still makes an impact and makes my blood flow hotter and faster. Eloise, she must be quite a woman, I'd like to think I came close, once or twice. Sorry, boys, just blame Barry Ryan. That is just such a damned good song. "And only time can tell and take away this lonely hell, I'm on my knees to Eloise"...Of course, I have also been on the receiving end of that type of heart break, so that makes us even, well, maybe not, if my name is going to be Eloise, some day.