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The Song of Julian McCrae Revell

On the occasion of his birth yesterday.
[3/30/01]
Вода, доставка воды ЗАО.


Just over a month ago, I had this way-vivid dream where my friend Patsy was about to have her baby, and so she decided to have this party on the night of her due date. Lots of people came, people from every part of my life - school friends, old Toronto musician-friends, an ex or two, you (yes you) were probably there. (I hope you enjoyed yourself.)

It was a very civilized party, with a steady flow of baked goodies and snacks flowing from the kitchen, some Monty Python movie playing on the TV with the sound off, everyone sitting around, playing board games or just generally bantering, a guitar was out and the songwriters were sharing songs.

It was a very '70s party. Everyone had Brady hair, and the guys were wearing polyester and corduroy, and the ladies were all in those long brown skirts and turtlenecks or something similar. (Matter of fact, the party might have been actually taking place in the '70s.)

Anyway, at one point, Patsy Grace (the pregnant one) begins the serious part of her contractions, and no one panics. Basically everyone just kind of shifted to a different gear. This was, after all, why we were all here at the party in the first place, right?

Kaycee of all people was the midwife. She coordinated the water, the laying down of the mats, she told a few jokes to keep things loose, she kept Grey (Patsy's husband) occupied with conversation about Cabinet nominations (of all things) when he got a little anxious, she held Patsy's hand. Actually, there was very little anxiety at all in the dream. The whole thing was quite matter-of-fact, pretty cool.

The dream ended before the moment of the birth (she was due on March 26th - the birth happened on the 29th), but the details I do remember are as vivid as if it happened earlier this evening. The cornbreaded crab cakes, the laugh of my best friend Rodney Politick from the 8th grade as he told the only dirty joke he knew, the fringe on the suede jackets on the hooks just inside the living room.

And the song I played when it was my turn with the guitar. When I awoke I copied it down, all five verses and the melody, and then went back to sleep (it was the middle of the night, about the same time as I'm typing this to you now), and when I woke up, this song was there, in its entirety.

Now that the baby's been born, I can just admit that this is a bit unwieldy and use it for parts. Still, I'd like to dedicate this page to Julian McCrae Revell, born yesterday.


Remember that one night where we ate all the hors d'oeuvres
Passed the guitar all around and the songs never got worse
The world did not exist outside the four yellow walls
But the universe was endless we just called it in at will
That night was pure and golden it was something that I still hold dear
I close my eyes, and nights like that one never disappear
Sometimes I think these days are good, the fireplace is full of wood
And we get more done every year
But it's still not the same when I imagine you're not here
It's still not the same when I imagine you're not here

Remember how we wandered all around the house
We'd tell great dirty jokes, we'd talk with way too much food in our mouths
Sylvia the Priest blessed us all and then she married us
Everything we said was both insightful and hilarious
And Patsy went into labor right there on the kitchen floor
And we took it as a sign of the one thing we were still waiting for
And KC had us smiling and nobody was panicking
This was the night we all figured on the coming of the Santa king
Who cared if the contractions were nowhere close to ten
All all of us did was tell the same cool lies as then
I never thought of when
I ever thought I'd ever have half that fun again
I never thought I'd ever have half that fun again

We smiled like adults in those faded family movies
The colors all were washed out like the night before Vesuvius
We partied without worrying about the dangers just outside
Like we knew it was all true that we'd already died
The games went on forever and nobody got annoyed
The perfection of the moment somehow could not be destroyed
And nothing really mattered except our own joy
And the laws of greater nature were all ours to exploit
And we left them all unused unabused there was no point
There was nothing here we wanted to escape or avoid
Some days it's hard to miss, the world is black with hate and fear
But don't go far, my dear
Cos I'll make it through fine, just as long as you are here
We'll make it through fine, just as long as you are here

They're starving in the streets, hope has almost disappeared
But it all will work out just as long as you're still here.
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- Tony Hightower