The Origin Story
A couple of years ago, a number of friends of mine were going through some rough patches in their relationships. One was finalizing a relatively amicable divorce. There was the inevitable talk about custody of the children, who’d get the house, how they’d allocate their belongings.
Who’d get the dog.
“But there’s also just a whole lot of years of shared history, and shared friends, too,” he said. “You can’t just divvy those up.”
Just…damn. What do you say to that?
Not long after that, in August of 2022, I started seeing “Traffic Patterns Change” signs pop up along the streets of Lansing, warning drivers that several streets would soon be changing directions. Specifically, Walnut and Pine — two one-way streets — would be soon both become two-way streets.
I decided that, the reverse — a single two-way street becoming two one-way streets — would make a poignant metaphor for a song.
“Traffic Patterns Change” is not the story of that friend’s divorce, and it’s certainly not my own story. But it’s is someone’s divorce story, someone else’s break-up song.
“Traffic Patterns Change”
I’ve been making this drive damn near half of my life
No matter where I’d go, Maple Street would always bring me home.
But the city’s been posting signs, the directions rearranged.
Maple’d always been a two-way street, but traffic patterns change.The Department of Transportation, well, they probably know best.
Likely did traffic studies and surveys and all the rest.
But Maple not running southbound? Well, that just feels strange.
Maple was always a two-way street, but traffic patterns change.And I been looking back, dear, on you and me
Whole lotta years there of shared history
We were barely babies when we started our journey together
Back then, I thought there was no storm that we couldn’t weather.We used to bike this street together, with other neighborhood husbands and wives.
Home from school, kids in tow — Maple Street would always bring us home.
But the city’s been posting signs, the directions rearranged.
Maple’d always been a two-way street, but traffic patterns change.And I been looking back, dear, on you and me
Whole lotta years there of shared history
We were so in love, when we started this journey together
Back then, I thought there was no storm that we couldn’t weather.But I been looking back a little more honestly
Remember how I even forgave that first infidelity.
Now that ugly past has reared its head again, and this time I can’t forgive
This just ain’t no way to live.We used to make this drive together, damn near half our lives.
No matter where we’d roam, Maple Street would always bring us home.
But when I stopped ignoring the signs, we went from partners to estranged.
Our marriage was once a two-way street, but traffic patterns change.Now my therapist’s recommendation, and hell, she probably knows best
Was to write a song, bare my soul, and get it all off my chest.
But I’m keeping the house on Maple, so if you ever drive up this way
Keep in mind, it’s a one-way now, traffic patterns change.
Keep in mind, it’s a one-way now because traffic patterns change
© January, 2023 Austin Kaufmann, All rights reserved.
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