If today’s blog post is unintelligible, it’s because life is convoluted. It is not straightforward enough to lend itself to a good story. This is the real thing, full of incongruent tenses, asynchronous thoughts, interwoven and constantly changing roles and ever-increasing complications.
And now for the emotional report, part one: Roger wakes up just long enough to look over at me and say, “We can’t let our life go to hell in a hand-basket just because we can’t pay attention to it in our last few weeks.” And then he goes back to sleep. He’s worried about me, he wants to sit up and take care of his “responsibilities.” That’s his word, not mine. Clearly, he cannot pay attention to the business aspects of life now Those of you who knew Roger in his wild, wild, wild years will be surprised at this mantle of responsibility that he’s put on. .
And the emotional report, part two, with a musical theme:
“Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me--Robbie Robertson
If I spring a leak, she mends me
I don't have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one”
Recorded by The Band in 1969 and covered by just about everybody else ever since.
I never took the song “Up On Cripple Creek” seriously. The jaunty folk-music tune must have thrown me off. The more I listen to the lyrics though, the more I realize how serious and important the theme was to our hard-partying 1960’s generation. And strangely, it sums up my relationship with Roger, or at least the way I feel about it in this moment.
I admit to having borrowed this analysis from Wikipedia.
“Drawing upon three of The
Band's favorite themes -- The American South, American folk music, and alcoholism
-- the song tells the story of a miner who goes… to stay with a local girl who
he knows will put him up for free while he blows all his money on drinks.
Although he admits to having some feelings for his "little Bessie",
he uses her hospitality to drink himself to oblivion. At the end of the song,
he pushes off once more for greener pastures, although with the stated
intention of coming back to his Bessie.”
Is Roger thinking of moving on to greener pastures? I convinced him to stay once before. Can I convince him to stay again?
You drunken miners out there, have a care. Someday, you may decide to stay, don the mantle of responsibility and take care of Bessie the way she deserves. And to Bessie – hold tight, sister. No matter how it plays out, this life is going to be a bumpy ride.
Give a listen: http://youtu.be/EisXJSsULGM
This old hippy with an attitude is enjoying listening to The Band and reminiscing. You are in my thoughts and heart.
ReplyDeleteRoman