We appreciate the political volatility of the name Harvey. Some of the appeal of the name has to do with randiness. We're thinking Randi might be a better name. Moreover, Randy or Randi are gender neutral.
Two of Allen's classmates in high school were named Randi and Randy. He wishes both well.
scrapbook letters
In a recent phone conversation Allen had with his brother Doug, Doug reminded Steve of how Uncle Dennis used to write letters. Each letter arrived in a frugally stuffed, virtually bursting envelope. Clippings of media would tumble out of opened envelopes, carefully stapled or taped together with arrows and detailed explanations of why this relates to that or that to this.
Two days ago, whilst sitting in front of a Family Mart, joying one of the finer canned coffees in human history, we met a young person, whom I will call Taro. Taro and I sat in front of the conbini on wire wrought furniture, enjoying life's promenade.
A younger person, whom I'll call Walker, was walking a little dog, whom We'll call god. Walker didn't restrain god when god approached Taro. Allen was a bit struck by the invasive nature of Walker's behaviour. Taro and I struck up a conversation about dogs. Taro mentioned that I looked lonely, which I did.
Walker never outwardly hesitated to not restrain god when god took it upon ITself to approach Taro, and prostrate. As Walker proceeded with Their walk, A verbally suggested to Taro that A thought it fortunate there were not guns in Japan. Allen's affection for genetically modified canines is...limited. We explained that Allen thought that if there were guns in Japan, that dog could have been shot.
Taro expressed his relief that the Japanese citizenry had few, if any, guns. Allen was sitting a few tables over, and rather than a loud conversation across several tables, Allen rose. As We rose, so did Taro. A asked and gestured to inquire if WE could join Taro. Taro rose, agreed and moved a table closer while WE, moved two. His World's Highness (HWH) enjoyed the serene certitude that is Japan.
Allen suggested to Taro that he preferred dogs which in some way resembled wolves. Taro explained that he found large dogs frightening, and we were of one mind that dogs, God, and gods, can be frightening.
Walker and god turned up river. God approached A. Again, without an outward consideration of the recipient's fear or lack of fear of small dogs, whom Allen occassionally (sic) refers to as rodents, Walker permitted the dog to almost put god's front paws on A, at which point WE mimicked pistolas in both hands as if to shoot god. Walker seemed to get our point.
Allen's Uncle Dennis spent much, perhaps most of his life with one partner, a man named Don. They were never permitted to marry. Why?
Lots of love at you.
Make it so.
Love, hugs & kisses,
Randi
Allen here.
Start with the watch? Start with the earbuds? Start with the craft.
I required 30 years to turn Japanophobia 180 degrees. The smart money is on me turning Chinaphobia around in much less than 15.
Be there or be square.
We'll be the last ones left, we'll be the last ones left, we'll be the [fade to black]
verse
A long time ago came a man on a track
Walking thirty miles with a sack on his back
And he put down his load where he thought it was the best
He made a home in the wilderness
verse
He built a cabin and a winter store
And he ploughed up the ground by the cold lake shore
And the other travellers came walking down the track
And they never went further, no, they never went back
verse
Then came the churches, then came the schools
Then came the lawyers, then came the rules
Then came the trains and the trucks with their loads
And the dirty old track was the Telegraph Road
verse
Then came the mines, then came the ore
Then there was the hard times, then there was a war
Telegraph sang a song about the world outside
Telegraph Road got so deep and so wide
Like a rolling river
verse
And my radio says tonight it's gonna freeze
People driving home from the factories
There's six lanes of traffic
Three lanes moving slow
verse
I used to like to go to work, but they shut it down
I've got a right to go to work, but there's no work here to be found
Yes, and they say we're gonna have to pay what's owed
We're gonna have to reap from some seed that's been sowed
verse
And the birds up on the wires and the telegraph poles
They can always fly away from this rain and this cold
You can hear them singing out their telegraph code
All the way down the Telegraph Road
verse
Well, I'd sooner forget, but I remember those nights
Yeah, life was just a bet on a race between the lights
You had your head on my shoulder, you had your hand in my hair
Now you act a little colder like you don't seem to care
verse
But just believe in me, baby, and I'll take you away
From out of this darkness and into the day
From these rivers of headlights, these rivers of rain
From the anger that lives on the streets with these names
'Cause I've run every red light on memory lane
I've seen desperation explode into flames
And I don't want to see it again
outro
From all of these signs saying, "Sorry, but we're closed"
All the way
outro
Down the Telegraph Road
Mark Knopfler
Love you my man.
