Pink Sunglasses

My girlfriend and I have this thing called “Pink Sunglasses”. It’s where you want something, but don’t get it, then can’t stop thinking about how much you should have got it. We call it “Pink Sunglasses” because once in Palm Springs, walking the shops on Palm Canyon Boulevard, we came across a boutique filled with chic movie star clothes from the 40’s, and crazy accessories. On the shelf where a pair of rhinestone studded, flashy, completely impractical, pink sunglasses. We both stood looking at them and wondered, should we, shouldn’t we? They had absolutely no functional value whatsoever; you would not be caught dead, driving down the street in Orange County wearing sunglasses that looked like they belonged to Elton John twenty years ago. But the urge to buy, for some reason neither of us really understood, was strong.

So, being the functional, rational, people we both are, we talked ourselves out of buying them.

Now the “Pink Sunglasses” thing does not take hold of you for a day or so, mileage may vary. But a day or two after leaving Palm Spring, we both had the strongest feeling that we really, really, really should have bought those pink sunglasses. It's a physical rendition of an urge that went unfulfilled. It’s a longing that you FEEL, that you regret, that you want so much to have gotten that thing that you wanted yet rebuffed. It’s not guilt, but sorrow, that the silly thing is not in your hand at this very moment.

This was 5 years ago, cut to San Diego today. There is a cervesa store in Sea Port Village that has all things beer, beer mugs, tee-shirts, light up beer signs, etc. We walk into the store and see a pair of funky, Corona sandals. I look at them and say to self, “those are so cool; I would be so cool walking around with Corona beer sandals.” I start to walk away, I really don’t need Corona beer sandals… wait “Pink Sunglasses” I look through the pile, dam, I don’t see any my size, I go to the counter, do you have these in a large. Sorry we don’t have large “Corona Beer Sandals”…