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Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Black Light Ambience, Don't Say Anything, Story Of a Young Couple: A Novel in Music, Prey For Me, These Are the Times, Once In A Blue Mood..., Coming Home for Christmas, Fish Stories Disk II, and 3 more.
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Once upon a time, a boy met a girl and they thought that they should stay together always. Each one made the other feel as no other had before, so they started off down a path together, unaware of what was waiting for them along the way…
Gather ‘round people, I’ll tell you a tale
How goodness and loving can always prevail
Though sinister forces lurk outside the door
They make you reflect on what went before
Two lovers passing their time away
Never aware of the debts that they’d pay
Strolling merrily into the night
Never to notice the upcoming fight
Hey, oh, where do we go?
Answers to questions that nobody knows
Hey, oh, what will we be?
This no one has the power to see
Time has passed for the lovers, it seems
Filled with disappointment and broken dreams
Nothing turns out the way that you plan,
but they try to make it as best as they can
Hey, oh, where do we go?
Answers to questions that nobody knows
Hey, oh, what will we be?
This no one has the power to see
Now they have children who are almost grown
and they look at their lives and the chances they’ve blown
Travelling so far, yet covering no ground
Taken away from the love they once found
Hey, oh, where do we go?
Answers to questions that nobody knows
Hey, oh, what will we be?
This no one has the power to see
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2. |
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He looked back on everything they’d gone through and a smile appeared on his face. They had been so silly back then, thinking that they’d be in a much better position than they were. He continued to watch the television advertisement. The family they were showing lived in a nice house with fine furniture and everything seemed idyllic. Looking around the room, in comparison, he lived in a worn out rental and the amount of money that he made from this job was barely enough to cover all of his expenses. Still, they were happy, or so it seemed. She came into the room and sat in her chair beside him and he started thinking to himself.
Remember back when we were young?
We thought ahead to how it would be wonderful
Kids in school, a house and car
We figured life’s rewards would be plentiful
All those times we believed in better days ahead
Now, the future’s here and with it comes the dread
Is this what you looked to?
Did all of your dreams come true?
Everything we’ve lived through?
Nevermind what I was thinking, I was only dreaming.
Times have come and gone so fast
Thirty years feel more like yesterday
Waiting here for my pot of gold
Taking still another reduction in pay
Everything we wanted has now vanished in the haze
Left here amongst the ruins, we still hope for better days
Is this what you looked to?
Did all of your dreams come true?
Everything we’ve lived through?
Nevermind what I was thinking, I was only dreaming.
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3. |
Chapter 02: Another Day
03:04
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Chapter 02 – Another Day
He drove home the way he always did, turning the corner by the playground the way he had for many years. He remembered spending many a weekend there, watching the kids climb around on the monkey bars and pushing them on swings. The park seemed empty to him now. It didn’t seem like very many people came there anymore. He approached the stop sign and he was overcome by a rush of memories.
“Come on, Dad! Push me on the swing!” a little voice called from inside his head.
He looked over at the park and realized he’d been at the stop sign for a while. If he could have one more day, he thought as he drove off.
The seeds we planted grew into a tree.
My babies are becoming who they’re meant to be;
I can take pride in what I have done.
These are the rewards that I have won.
All I know is that I’m alone,
standing still while my children have grown
I’m not big on sentimentality;
Never saw this eventuality.
I want another day;
Where all we ever did was laugh and play
I thought that these times were here to stay!
How could I have let it slip away?
She was dusting the shelf when she took notice to the kids’ school pictures which were displayed proudly. Each photo was one of a collection of portraits from elementary school that accumulated over time. She paused for a moment, remembering them all running through the house, oblivious to anything the adults were doing. The floors were surprisingly clean these days; No muddy footprints or scattered toys cluttered the living room. She heard the laughter of children in her mind as she stared out at the empty living room. It’s time for them to move forward, she thought, although she really wanted to hold them back. She knew that would be impossible, but if she had one more time to play with them, running around the house during a rainy afternoon.
It’s time for the children to be on their own,
but there’s still more they need to be shown.
They are grown up, at least physically,
But they still are growing mentally
I don’t think they need us anymore
I’m not sure what the rest of life is for
Old age is something that I deplore
I guess I should’ve paid attention more
I want another day;
Where all we ever did was laugh and play
I thought that these times were here to stay!
How could I have let it slip away?
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4. |
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(part I) Can You Feel It?
Happily glancing through a magazine, she had her mind made up. She wasn’t about to get tied down with a career and family like her mother! She was destined for greatness, and there was no time to waste. The stage was calling her, like a siren’s song. She tossed the magazine aside and looked at herself in the mirror, imagining her on the cover. Yes, I’m going to be in movies and television, for sure. All I have to do now is get out of this house!
My life is getting shorter living out here.
Fame and recognition and an audience will not appear.
Something’s holding me back from destiny.
All your small town lifestyle does not impress me.
There’s a world waiting for me with possibilities.
I want to turn all my dreams into realities;
Gotta try my luck and move into the city,
I know if I go that fortune will find me!
You don’t have to worry about me
There’s no danger, as far as I can see…and I feel free!
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
It’s calling me; Is it calling you, too?
I’m gonna take to the streets in search of my dream,
don’t care if I live on the streets or beyond my means
Got a burnin’ hunger inside that can’t be satisfied;
I have a date with my future and that can’t be denied.
You don’t have to worry about me
There’s no danger, as far as I can see…and I feel free!
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
It’s calling me; Is it calling you, too?
(part II) Wrong Path
He looked at his daughter as if she’d lost her mind. She couldn’t be serious, could she? Did she really want to throw all she had away for a one-in-a-million chance at stardom? They’d eat her for breakfast, he thought. She needs to find something that she can use, a sellable skill that will allow her to have a steady income. This other stuff could wait: He had to say something now before it was too late,
“You’re on the wrong path!
Why don’t you do the math?
You’ll never get ahead if you don’t use your head;
You’re on the wrong path!”
“You’d better get it right
and have a goal in site.
You can’t keep wasting away, living from day to day,
you’re on the wrong path!”
He could see that his words were having no effect on her as she bounced out of the room. She was going to be a star, and that was that. It didn’t matter that she never had any parts, other than a tree in the fourth grade holiday play. The room began to close in on him as she left the room. What was he going to do now? He thought, How could he protect her from the bad choices she would make?
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5. |
Chapter 04: Time To Grow
04:41
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Mother had just about enough of him trying to push the kids into the molds he’d cast for them. They have to be who they’re going to be and that has already happened at this point. Complaining about the direction they were heading would do no good. She’d heard his conversation with their daughter and now it was time for her to have her say in all this.
“We have watched our seedlings grow; It goes so fast, but yet it’s slow.
They will never be exactly what you want them to be; In time, their personalities show.”
“Give them time to grow, they have far to go.
Before they can spread their wings, they must learn many things
to help them understand the voice that’s speaking to their souls”
“They won’t turn out just like you and it’s wrong for you to ask them to
Give them space and guidance, tolerate their defiance and they’ll find a path that’s straight and true.”
“Give them time to grow, they have far to go.
Before they can spread their wings, they must learn many things
to help them understand the voice that’s speaking to their souls”
She was right, he thought, but still there was this urge to hold them back, to protect them from all the bad he’d experienced in his lifetime. Were they ready for the world? He felt the struggle going on in his mind.
I don’t want to let them go, I must be strong, at least for show
Once they leave the nest, I will wind up like the rest—perhaps
that’s what nature thinks is best.
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Father felt the darkness creeping into their bedroom once the lights are off. Mother wasted no time going to sleep while he stared at the ceiling, looking at the patterns being made from the streetlights and the moonlight creating shadows on the various objects in the room. Her snoring is rhythmic as she rolled onto her side.
How did we ever get here? He thought to himself. It certainly isn’t the way it was when they were younger. It was bad enough that he saw his father every time he looked in the mirror.
It’s obvious that they were slowly turning into his parents—or her parents. It pained him that he swore that he would never, ever become that way! Now he was sure that was exactly what had happened. Had her feelings toward him changed? Was she bored of him? His demons began to speak up in the darkness.
What does she see in me?
Am I her fantasy?
I’d love to know if she still loves me so.
When we’re in bed at night
She seems to ease my fright
In from the cold and my fear of growing old
Still, there’s a disconnect
Something hard to detect
In the middle of the night when there isn’t any light.
She calls to me softly from the echoes of the night
Memories of loving ‘till the morning light
They say that aging always cools the fire’s flame
Then tell me why it seems to me that I still feel the same?
Here, still, the two of us
Share something wondrous
That’s stood through the years, the laughs and all the tears.
When she still looks at me
I know it instantly
Her heart is still mine, even after all this time
I will be here for her
I will stay near to her
We can keep each other warm, keeping shelter from the storm
She calls to me softly from the echoes of the night
Memories of loving ‘till the morning light
They say that aging always cools the fire’s flame
Then tell me why it seems to me that I still feel the same?
He began to forget about his frustrations as he drifted off to sleep, secure in the knowledge that she would be there when he woke up in the morning. That was all that really mattered to him right now.
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It seemed to Father that, anymore, life had become a slow parade of catastrophes and mistakes. They never really planned to do anything, only react to things that had been done to them. Sometimes, he thought that he never should have got married in the first place. Everything had turned into this bizarre game of stay alive, where most of the money was spent as soon as he made it. To make matters worse, it seems as if the kids had become predatory creatures who only took and never gave. Now, Mother says he doesn’t make enough for them to live on! What did she want, a millionaire? Life would have been so much easier if none of this had ever happened.
“I sacrifice my time at work all day
And still, I’m being made to pay!
You said it’s not enough for the mouths we have to feed
I think you like sticking the knife in deeper just to watch me bleed
Don’t want the stress anymore, it’s too much to bear
I no longer care
I’d be better without you.”
Seriously? Mother thought, reacting to his tirade, This is the thanks she gets for all of her hard work every day? She could’ve been anything she wanted to be, but she chose to stay with him. Now she was kicking herself for her choice. He never seemed to find a job that could bring in the kind of money they needed right now and she was too busy with the house and everyday chores to be able to go off to work. This was not where she thought she would be when she got to this point in her life. What ever happened to Prince Charming? She thought. Some fairy tale!
“Don’t think you’re the only one who’s paid
Seems to me that I got the worst of the trade!
Moving around from place to place watching you take the fall
I could’ve married a millionaire, then, I’d have it all!
You can’t provide for your family, you can’t make the cash;
All you are is trash!
I’d be better without you.”
They both spent several minutes glaring at each other, each giving the other a more menacing look. Their looks softened over the few minutes they spent arguing. Soon, they realized they had been acting silly and he felt the need to say something to break the icy silence.
“I think I’d miss the chaos if you weren’t here.”
She smiled.
“It’s your ugly face that I hold dear!”
Both of them started to laugh when he said,
“It’s even comfortable when we fight as long as it’s over when we turn out the light.
I need someone like you to warm my nights.
Even though our life is a nightmare and al our money’s blown
I am not alone
It’s no better without you.”
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8. |
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(part I) Better Way
Mom and Dad were suckers, he thought. It seemed that Dad had always been kicked around in one way or another. Not me, he thought, I’m not going to be like that. Rules are for fools and there’s a lot of gold and opportunity out there and I plan to grab as much as I can. All the rules seemed to be made by those who have everything, anyway. Why waste time working? He saw his classmates with the best phones and video games and he knew they didn’t get them from their loser parents. No, he knew exactly what to do and he didn’t need any lame advice from the old folks. He proclaimed defiantly,
“Sick to death of you advice and all of your rules
I want so much to break out, away from these fools
You don’t’ seem to care that much about what I want to be
You sit around here, sheltered in your hypocrisy
This time, I’m really getting out and I don’t care what you have to say
I’ve found a better way!”
“You’ve been standing in my way, but my time has come
I’m gonna show you what I’m made of and who I’ve become
Rules are meant for suckers, nothing will hold me back
You’d best get out of my way when I’m on the attack
There’s nothing more you can teach me, there’s no more time for play,
I’ve found a better way!”
(part II) Wrong Road
His father stood silent, aghast and reeling from what he just heard.
“This is your idea of a career choice? Selling drugs and committing burglary?” he asked, trying not to yell, but he knew it was a failed attempt. How could his son think this was a good idea? He’d raised him better than that, he thought. He had to try and get through to him that this was not a very smart choice. Once again, he began to counsel his son,
“You’re on wrong road
You have to do what you’re told
Rebellion may be OK, but it won’t work that way
You’re on the wrong road!”
You’re just tempting fate
Soon it will be too late
Better act right now and change your life somehow
You’re on the wrong road!”
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9. |
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He had become increasingly dismayed with the way his children were turning out. This was a parent’s worst nightmare, he thought.
“We have to do something to stop this!” he exclaimed.
She calmly reassured him that the children would be fine and this was just a phase they were going through. She had every confidence things would work out.
“You have to give them time to find their way,” she told him,
“No one ever knows exactly what they’ll become
The minute their eyes open and their life has begun
There are way too many choices as to what you want to be
Just use your head and do your best and suddenly you’ll see
That the path you chose to follow is the one that you are on
So, take your time, enjoy the ride you’ve stumbled upon”
“We are all like snowflakes with our own identity, but the
differences between us can be hard to see
A world full of people, each with different dreams and the
differences between us are a part of the scene”
She turned to her son, who had entered the room during the discussion. She smiled at him, continuing her advice,
“Lots of different people have lots of different ways
One may be headstrong while another simply prays.
Don’t be disappointed if you’re not the way we planned
Just stay the course with no remorse and come to make your stand.
We never know ahead of time what our children will be,
for that is not for us to know, so we must wait and see.”
“We are all like snowflakes with our own identity, but the
differences between us can be hard to see
A world full of people, each with different dreams and the
differences between us are a part of the scene”
She noticed her son’s eyes beginning to glaze over. It was obvious that he had lost interest in what she was saying. Still, she thought, he’ll understand soon enough. She watched him intently as he shrugged his shoulders and wandered off. Soon enough, she thought, smiling as he walked away.
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10. |
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(Part I) Right Road
He beamed at his daughter as she stood in her room. Of all the children, this was the one who would really being going places, he thought. She had been at the top of her class in high school and was doing just as well now that she had started college. He had to let her know how proud he was,
“You’re on the right road
Soon you’ll reap what you’ve sowed
It may seem like a pain, but in the end you’ll gain
You’re on the right road”
“You’ll be doing fine
Your effort’s genuine
The things you do today make for a better way,
You’re on the right road!”
(Part II) Pressure on Me
She gave him a look of pure contempt.
“You think this is what I want? You think this is great? It is not great, it sucks and I hate it. The only reason I’m even doing this is because I can’t be successful without it! I don’t need all this pressure!” she screamed at him.
How dare he tell her he knew what she should do? His life didn’t turn out that great; he certainly wasn’t what she thought of as successful. What was all this actually going to do for her? It seems that there weren’t all that many jobs anyway. She thought this was all a waste of her life and she could be doing fun things like her sister was doing. It’s time he knew how she really felt about all this.
“You seem to think can lay all your expectations on me
My life is just a place where you can overcome your mediocrity
I’ll tell you something, I’m not gonna go your way
You can keep your dreams, I don’t care what you say!”
“I am who I am and I know what I want to be
Don’t think you can get away with putting all that pressure on me!”
“Why don’t you try fixing your life instead of breaking mine?
I’ve got my whole life in front of me; you’re running out of time.
Do me a big favor and get out of my face
I don’t need any help with finding my own place.”
“I am who I am and I know what I want to be
Don’t think you can get away with putting all that pressure on me!”
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11. |
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There were so many things Father thought would be different when he got to this stage of his life. It seemed as if he wasn’t needed anymore. He had always thought of himself as a “fun” dad, the one who would spend hours at the playground with the kids. How could this have happened? He thought about all the plans he’d made in younger days and how a lot of them seemed silly now. He’d told his wife on numerous occasions that things would be much better, but now he felt as if he was running out of time.
He looked around the living room; many objects were testaments to his age. From him music and movie collections to the books on his shelf, everything seemed to be rooted in the past, somehow. In some ways, it represented a time capsule. Looking out the window, he started to wonder if he was becoming the old man he had always feared he might.
I’ve been sitting at the crossroads wondering what I’m supposed to do
Everyone’s given their opinion, is it time to follow through?
I guess it’s only natural for me to feel this way
Left alone on a darkened road, all I can do is pray
Always on the outside
Struggling to survive
Like a rock in the river that no on wil ever see
Time is like the river’s water flowing around me
Stuck in the mud, sitting high and dry, and going nowhere fast
How could I ever join the future when I’m stuck here in the past?
I have lost the feeling both in my head and in my heart
I would give most anything to go back to the start
Miles and miles have passed me and there’s many more to go,
But I’d rather stay invisible with everything I know.
Threatened by the future, afraid of what will be
Like a rock in the river that no on wil ever see
Time is like the river’s water flowing around me
Stuck in the mud, sitting high and dry, and going nowhere fast
How could I ever join the future when I’m stuck here in the past?
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12. |
Chapter 11: Sunset
04:43
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Everything up to this point seemed to be mired in failure. None of the goals Father set for himself were ever reached. It seemed as his whole life was one big accident. He had never intended to end up in the place he found himself now.
There were others at his stage of life which seemed to have it better. They appeared as though they held it all together and none of the things that plagued his mind ever crossed theirs.
Was he wasting his time? The thought, Should he be concentrating his efforts somewhere else?
He sat there as the room seemed to close in around him, alone with only his thoughts which seemed dangerously close to desperation.
Daylight falls behind the hills
Darkness creeps into the room, tinting everything with gloom
I’m at a crossroads in my life
Now the ghosts have come to call, begging me to leave it all
Has it all been worth the time?
Reaching for a shining star hasn’t got you very far and you still don’t know where you are
Day is done
Time to let go of the dreams, abandon all those silly schemes
Setting sun
Time to take back what you’ve sold, now you’re getting way too old
Isn’t it time you found another road?
I thought I knew where I would go
Wasn’t expecting hairpin turns, forgetting fire always burns
I think that it’s time that I moved on
Time to face reality; What is and will not ever be
I don’t need to be the best
In defeat, there’s no disgrace, let the others keep the pace
I’m no longer running in the race
Day is done
Time to let go of the dreams, abandon all those silly schemes
Setting sun
Time to take back what you’ve sold, now you’re getting way too old
Isn’t it time you found another road?
His thoughts returned to the future. He realized that he had no idea where he was going, either. After all this time, he was still struggling to find his direction while many of his peers had already set out on theirs.
Now what? He panicked as his thoughts began to race, Is this everything? Is there nothing to look forward to?
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13. |
Chapter 12: Real Life
04:59
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Father thought his son both amused him and frustrated him. He watched as the boy would hit one wall after another, refusing to take any of his advice. The amusing part was the way history seemed to be repeating itself, as his father used to attempt to give his advice to him. He often ignored it, as well.
Dad would find this amusing, he thought.
This was a particularly difficult time for his son, almost life changing. From the looks of things, he wasn’t seeing the big picture when it was right in front of him. Knowing that he would not be receptive to anymore fatherly insights, he was reluctant to say anything. Still, he felt it necessary to say something to him.
“You think this is easy living day by day and you’ll always get what you want
“stumblin’ head first into a pot of gold like some sort of savant
“Talent and good looks substituted for skill will open up many doors
“Don’t you know this is the same old story? You’ll end up sweeping their floors!
I don’t mean to disappoint you or cause you undue strife
Things don’t go the way you want and it cuts like a knife
…in real life”
His son just stared at the old relic who was speaking, trying to think of a way to get out of the room. What does this guy know anyway? Times have changed and most of what he knows now is obsolete.
Father was oblivious to his son’s nonverbal cues and continued. It seemed, however, that this talk was becoming more of a soliloquy than it was parental advice.
“Kid yourself you’re upwardly mobile while yo do their chores
“Kiss their ass, thinking they’re on your side; You’re just industrial whores
“You’ve got to prove yourself to anyone you know, you’ve got to play to win
“You’ve got to keep an eye for opportunity, you can’t ever give in!
I don’t mean to disappoint you or cause you undue strife
Things don’t go the way you want and it cuts like a knife
…in real life”
Once father had finished speaking, his son nodded politely, leaving the room in a hurry.
Father, on the other hand, had become so riled up in his own perceived failure that he didn’t realize he was alone in the room.
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14. |
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Father often wondered why Mother stayed with him. He really was a miserable person and he seemed to be turning into an old grouch. She deserved better, but seemed content to be with him.
Where would all this lead up to? He thought.
She came into the room where he sat and the darkness seemed to disappear from his mind. In fact, he began to smile as he looked at her. She seemed to make everything better.
This is the wasteland where dreams come to die
This is the place of life’s despair
Here is where you find that you were not meant to fly
Here’s where you find out life’s not fair
I remember a time when I would look at you and I knew at that
moment my dreams were coming true
Your pull is strong and I get the feeling we belong together
This feeling’s stronger than words
We never got the castles we built out of air
We never got the promised land
I look around and I realize I still care
So what if it’s not the way we planned?
I remember a time when I would look at you and I knew at that
moment my dreams were coming true
Your pull is strong and I get the feeling we belong together
This feeling’s stronger than words
Times are getting harder, but I still love you
And we’re better off than we were before
I love the fact that we’re still together
It makes what didn’t happen easier to ignore
I remember a time when I would look at you and I knew at that
moment my dreams were coming true
Your pull is strong and I get the feeling we belong together
This feeling’s stronger than words
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15. |
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All of the children had had enough unsolicited advice and comments about how they were living their lives. What did their father know? Nothing! That’s why they lived in a cramped house with nothing to show for their lives but some useless trinkets that stood in for home décor.
Every time father would try to say something to one of them, one of the kids would disagree, argue or generally disparage both the advice and the advisor.
This was their time, and all of them would do things their own way without any interference from their parents.
Each of them had something to say, starting with the oldest daughter,
“There’s no reason for you to talk at all
“You only want to trip us when we fall
“The time has come to tear down the wall
“This is our time, we answer the call”
Then, the younger daughter had her say,
“We don’t need you to be our protector
“We don’t need you to be our inspector
“We don’t need you to catch us when we fall!
“We don’t need you to try and teach us
“We’re all grown up now, you can’t reach us
“I don’t think we need you at all!”
Finally, his son finished the commentary,
“Let us go and try and find our way
“Don’t worry about us, we won’t go astray
“We won’t pay the dues you had to pay
“This is our time, you just stay away!”
All of them began repeating the same thing, as if it were some sort of war chant,
“We don’t need you to be our protector
“We don’t need you to be our inspector
“We don’t need you to catch us when we fall!
“We don’t need you to try and teach us
“We’re all grown up now, you can’t reach us
“I don’t think we need you at all!”
Father knew exactly where he stood with his children now. It was official: he was no longer needed.
Fine, he thought, I just won’t bother with any of them anymore. They can go off and get into whatever trouble they like. I don’t care what happens to them!
As he stormed out of the room, the kids felt as if they’d deposed the evil dictator. Now things will be different, for sure, they all thought. It would be the dawning of a new age, the age of non-interference! Things could only get better now.
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16. |
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Mother had been watching the interaction between Father and the kids and decided that this was a situation that could not be left as it was.
There was a vital ingredient missing in all this and it was something she thought that everyone in this family had forgotten. She was particularly upset at Father, who had essentially shunned the children ever since the blowup. A parent should not be acting like this. She decided that she would have her say in this matter,
“How can you turn your back on the children just because they’re not doing what you planned?
“We must always remember to be supportive, even if you don’t really understand
“They may not show it, but they’re looking up to us, even when they’re saying that you’re dumb
“You have to roll with the punches and let the children decide who they’ll become
“You forgot the most important thing
“The thing that tops everything and the peace that it can bring
"The awesome magic of love — How could you forget about love?”
“You don’t want to alienate our babies, don’t pay attention to the things that they say
“Most of the time, they are speaking from frustration. Don’t let your stubbornness drive them all away
“They don’t need you toe walk them to the schoolyard or read them stories before they go to bed
“They’re all grown up, becoming their own persons; You may not see it, but they followed where you led
“You forgot the most important thing
“The thing that tops everything and the peace that it can bring
“The awesome magic of love — How could you forget about love?”
Father realized that she had a point and he had forgotten something. Perhaps he’d been too harsh on the kids. Now, he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do or how he would fix the situation. Everything seemed as if it was getting out of control and he couldn’t stand being in a situation where there was no control.
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17. |
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Finally, she thought, this was the way out. She was on her own and making her own decisions! This was the right of passage for the oldest child. Now that she was living in the city, she would pursue her dreams. That would show everyone, especially her father, that she was right and that her dreams would soon be reality. All she had to do was be in the right place at the right time. She thought she was doing everything right.
I want to do things in my own way and feel that I did the best that I could
I don’t want to be lead around by you, I know I can do the things I should
You always were a great teacher to me, but now I want to try and fly on my own
You don’t need to worry so much about me, I can use these skills, now that I’ve grown
I have to travel down this lonely street so I can start to make it all
alone
Let me start off on my own two feet, nurturing the seeds that you’ve
sown
There may be some things I haven’t seen, but I am sure I can face them, all the same
This world has its share of little terrors and I can learn the rules of the game
I have been waiting for this moment, waiting in line to start living my life
I know I’m ready for whatever comes my way, embracing both the joy and the strife
I have to travel down this lonely street so I can start to make it all
alone
Let me start off on my own two feet, nurturing the seeds that you’ve
sown
As time passed, she began to think more of the life she left behind and the things that she’d done with her family. She was all alone in the city and in some ways, even in a crowd, she was by herself. Everyone seemed to have an ulterior motive and all she wanted was a friend. Isn’t that the way it was on TV? Her life wasn’t turning out like that at all. She could barely afford the apartment she rented on the pay from her job as a store clerk.
For months, she had tried to get an audition, but nothing seemed to happen. She wasn’t exactly sure of the ability of her agent to be able to get her any parts. As this chapter of her life unfolded, certain aspects of her father’s counseling became clearer. She realized that her parents were still an important part of her life, even though she was on her own. She may still need to ask them things, after all, they probably experienced some of this when they started out. Maybe Dad wasn’t so wrong after all, she realized.
We do need you to stand beside us
We still need you to lend us guidance
We still need you to help light our way
We do need you to try to forgive us
We do need you to try and stay with us
We still need you forever, come what may
We still want to look up to you
We still want to strive to be like you
We can learn from places you’ve been
We still need home to be there for us
A place to go when the world ignores us
Somewhere we can go to always fit in
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18. |
Chapter 17: Fly Away
03:45
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Mother and Father stood in the empty room where their son had lived for his entire life. He was the last one of the kids to leave the house and go off on his own. Their oldest had left some time ago and their other daughter was away at school. Most all of the furniture was gone now, so there were only a few objects left in the room. He came back into the room for one final look around, noticing a faraway sort of look on his parents’ faces.
“Well,” he said, looking around, “I think I have everything.”
“Are you sure?” Father asked.
Mother tried to hold back tears, but was losing the battle.
“Is something wrong, mom?” he asked.
“No, nothing,” she replied. There was something wrong—or right, depending on how you look at it. She wasn’t sure, maybe it was both. She needed to let her son know how she felt about all of this.
“I can’t hold you back, it’s time for you to go
“We will always love you more than you will know
“Time for you to face the future and all it will bring
“Take time to use your head and you can do anything
“I gave you everything you needed
“Now, the rest is up to you
“So fly away – You must set out on your own path
“Fly away – New horizons come into view
“Fly away – You must be who you were meant to
“Remember there’s a place still here for you”
Father felt compelled to say something to the boy who would become a man as soon as he walked out of the house for this last time,
“We’ve been together so long, where has the time gone?
“It was only yesterday when you were so young
“I hope you’ll remember playgrounds and walks in the sun
“Summers filled with laughter, days filled with fun
“I can’t keep you here forever
“You have things you have to do
“So fly away – You must set out on your own path
“Fly away – New horizons come into view
“Fly away – You must be who you were meant to
“Remember there’s a place still here for you”
Mother made sure she got the final word, since her baby was leaving home,
“Turn the page on a new chapter; We are both so proud of you
“And fly away – You must set out on your own path
“Fly away – New horizons come into view
“Fly away – You must be who you were meant to
“Remember there’s a place still here for you”
The three of them made their way downstairs, out of the house, and into the driveway, where the car was packed full of their son’s belongings. He opened the door, hesitated, and went back to hug his mother one more time as a child. He shook his father’s hand as an adult and got into the car.
As he pulled out of the driveway, Mother and Father watched as the car moved away, shrinking until it disappeared behind a hill. In some way, they had been catapulted back to the beginning, before there were any children. When they re-entered the house, it seemed bigger. Still, there was a sense of accomplishment, of satisfaction for a job done well. They had every confidence in each of their children and all of them had become the special people that Mother thought they would become. A tiny smile of satisfaction crossed her face as she settled into her living room chair.
Father was melancholy, but he knew that the kids would be fine. If, in fact, they ever needed anything, he would do his best to help them. For now, they were on their way and he was ready for whatever the next phase of his life had in store for him. It wasn’t so much an end as it was a beginning. Even the view from the living room window seemed different now.
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Chris Nelson Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Chris Nelson has been playing music for over 25 years and has written a large volume of songs. His sound is described as "Dark Folk" which is basically a unique mixture of folk, rock, and blues. He currently plays live as an acoustic guitarist while playing all instruments on his recordings. ... more
Chris Nelson recommends:
Get On! [EP]
by Plaid On Flannel
High-energy rock and roll with catchy tunes you'll have playing in your head for hours after the music ends.
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Ethereal sounds and psychedelic imagery define this record. A real trip!!
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Is It the Future Yet?
by Autohypnosis
Dark imagery and angry music about who we have become as a race of beings. A perfect blend of rock, electronica, and in some cases, even punk.
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Lowdown Ways
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The NYC trio push their blown-out garage-blues sound into new territory, on both reinterpreted classics and originals.
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Pete Yorn Live At The Troubadour
by Pete Yorn
A sprawling, 25-song set from Pete Yorn complete with covers of Springsteen and The Smiths capture him at his unguarded best.
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Super pretty indie pop from Seattle that tips its hat to Sufjan Stevens.
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