It was major meltdown at my house, Shade Heaven, last night. We've been storing it up. Even though I had a wonderful time in chat with ASZers, I knew I was looking at the "edge", or "an" edge, and Mr. Keys had been nursing his "nuts" all day. As it turns out, no surprise to me, really... Keys is exactly in the same place that I am. We are just putting one foot in front of another, and seeing the crashing all around us... hunkering down and knowing full well what's coming up. We are not having any fun, and we both use those words. Anyway, at some point during the evening, while I was on the phone with Boo, telling her that Keys and I have to get the hell outta Dodge, Keys got upset with the computer keyboard. I heard it from the bedroom, the keyboard hitting the floor, and little black keys skittering all over the tile floor of the computer room and hallway. What I didn't know until this morning was that he took what remained outside and gave it three mighty whacks with a sledge hammer. When we do nuts at Shade Heaven, we do it right.This morning, with both of us in a preternatural state of clarity that only comes after such a night before, the subject of the Brookfield, Wisconsin "church" shooting came up (for those living outside the US, a man walked into his own "end times" cult-church and opened fire, killing more than ten before putting the automatic pistol to his own head. film at eleven). And Keys said: "It's Smackwater Jack". It was like lightning in my brain. Of course (!) it's Carole King's song written more than 30 years ago.
I'm not going to link you to the Brookfield, Wisconsin story, but you can find it easily. I am going to leave you with some of Carole's song. Since I don't have a keyboard at home, 'til I don't know when (LOL ... crazy can be clarifying, really... trust me on this) I might be on-line sporadically for a bit. Don't assume I've departed the planet. I ain't done yet.
"Now, Smackwater Jack,
He bought a shotgun
'Cause he was in the mood
For a little confrontation.
He just a-let it all hang loose;
He didn't think about the noose.
He couldn't take no more abuse
So he shot down the congregation.
You can't talk to a man
With a shotgun in his hand."
