I believe every...man remembers the girl he thinks he should have married. She reappears to him in his lonely moments, or he sees her in the face of a young girl in the park, buying a snowball under an oak tree by the baseball diamond. But she belongs to back there, to somebody else, and that thought sometimes rends your heart in a way that you never share with anyone else.
The quote reflects on the nostalgia and longing that many men experience for a past romantic connection. It suggests that there is often one significant relationship that lingers in their memories, representing what could have been. This woman appears in their minds during quiet, solitary times, weaving into their current life when they encounter someone who reminds them of her.
However, the sentiment is bittersweet, as these men recognize that their idealized version of the girl is tied to a different time and place, possibly belonging to someone else. This realization can evoke a profound sense of heartache, an emotion so deeply personal that it remains unspoken and hidden from others. The feeling of lost potential and unfulfilled romance can haunt them throughout their lives.
