Make that Skies are Grey without You

I'm a hopeless romantic, so I thought it was terribly sweet. But I know a girl who saw it as stalker-like.

I'm talking about how people handle heartbreak because for every broken heart, there's a reaction by the breakee and who's to say which is best?

Not long ago I ran into a musician friend I hadn't seen out in a while, which wasn't like him. When I teasingly asked where he'd been, his head dropped to his chest.

"I got my heart broken so I've been staying at home the past couple of months."

It led to an intense discussion of how long it takes to get over a broken heart, but I could tell he was nowhere close.

Today, I saw how a stranger is handling his heartbreak. Driving down Malvern, brightly-colored signs line both sides of the street, presumably where the sign writer's beloved drives regularly.

The signs, and there are many, many of them, say it all:

Real love has no boundaries


I'M SORRY!


I miss your smile


Real love doesn't judge


Tomorrow doesn't matter without you


There is no US without U


Sky's are grey without you


My heart cries


Time moves slow


I'm empty without you


You have my heart


Believe in us


I care for you


I'M SORRY!


I told a friend who had also seen the simply-worded signs that, spelling aside, the gesture seemed very sweet and romantic to me.

Clearly someone is hurting and hoping to get through to his/her ex.

He agreed but said his girlfriend differed, seeing it as threatening, stalking even. Clearly, there's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to romance and heartbreak.

But someone's trying awfully hard and it strikes me as rather touching.

I think I'd be inclined to use other people's words if I were putting up signs, starting with the immortal words of Pearl Bailey.

The sweetest joy, the wildest woe is love 


Imagine the impact on a day-glo pink poster board with a heart over the "i."

Ah, romance...