What is it about that person? You know the one... You can't explain it, but when they're in the room, no one else matters. You light up and feel more alive. Try to think of something clever to say... a joke, a story, anything that might invoke a smile. Attraction.
'They Always Do' is a track about this force of nature. A jazzy melody by singer/songwriter Heath Brandon on his new CD 'Stand Clear of the Closing Doors'. About sixteen years ago, Heath and I played percussion together in the Suffern Jr. High School orchestra. His voice was much squeakier back then and he didn't know it at the time (or maybe until this post), but I had crush on him. He was a year older and far better than me on drum set. I've always been a sucker for musicians... So what is attraction? Biologists and psychologists say it all has something to do with pheromones--those chemical signals that could signify immune compatibility for offspring. Maybe. Cosmetic companies sure cash in on the concept. Or perhaps it's defined by the social norms and cultural expectations for cues we've been trained to pick up on. Or do we innately search for universal exhibitions of health and vitality like long shiny hair, voluptuous hips, or height? Still, these explanations don't account for the fleeting attraction to a passerby wearing the cologne of your first love, or the reason Norah Jones or that extra glass of pinot (or viagra pill for that matter) stirs up a different kind of drive. What is it that invokes desire? The thing is, science hasn't got it all figured out yet. And I like that. Call me a romantic, but when there's something there, I'm not sure I want it measured and calculated. In fact, mystery is half the allure. And while my ephemeral preteen crush on Heath ended abruptly upon meeting a 9th grade soulful guitarist, I still do love his music. Readers will too. My favorite song on the album is the called 'I Can't Wait' about the very best kind of attraction... A head-over-heels-in-love desire to be with your partner: More from Heath here.
