Tami Country Monday

Tami Country Monday

I notice some things that happen for the first time. I don’t necessarily organize them. Maybe that’s what this project is about. Somehow keeping track of them.

Tami brought her Tacoma pickup truck in for service. She got out in construction clothes. Short cropped hair. Helmet. Tool belt. Big lunch bucket.  I didn't think about it much except that it's a little different - and - "good for you" - work that works.

In the sense that it looks like one large toolbox she seems to live in her truck. She was about finished with her service advisor and starting to call a friend to pick her.

"Well, I’m the driver, I said, "and I’ve been standing around all morning. I’d be very happy to take you where you need to go."

She got done and away we went.

"What are you working on?" I asked; meaning: here you are dressed like this.

"I’m working on a bridge, she said, "I usually work on buildings. This is my first bridge."

"Did you tell them that?" I whispered, tilting my head and holding my hand up to my mouth.

She laughed. And laughing was the point. Of course they know. She did indicate that bridges are a lot more complicated than buildings. They just are hanging up there in the air and so ... more attention to structure, etc.

I gave her some encouragement. It was the bridge just north of Oklahoma Ave. on 35th Street. I use it a lot and it's been down.

Anyway, it was the Monday morning immediately after the start of  first episode one of the Ken Burns documentary Country Music. I asked her if she'd seen it. She had not. She wondered if it might be on a country cable channel. No it’s on public television channel 10-36.

I said it took us right to the very beginning of the genre. I said the Carter family and this other fellow whose name I couldn’t remember then.

"June Carter?" she asked.
"Maybelle Carter and the Carter family." I said.

"Wildwood Flower?"
"Yes indeed."

"Well, that’s a funny thing," she said, "My dad is from Georgia. I remember as a kid him offering people $100 if they could sing Wildwood Flower."

I looked at her.
"I will twine with my mingles Raven black hair." I sang.
She had already started looking that up on her iPhone.

"With the roses so red and the lilies so fair."
I never did ask her if anyone could sing it or if he ever paid out.

Pretty soon she found the Maybelle Carter version of scratchy old time record .
"The meadow so bright with it's emerald hue
And the pale and the leader and eyes look so blue"

I looked over at her a couple times. She looked at me. Here we were singing this old folk song together. That has never happened before. We're having fun, remembering, and making new memories.

That might’ve been the second song ever that I learned the chords to. I had first heard it on Joan Baez first album. There are a couple differences in the lyric lines between Baez and Carter Family.

I am still quite taken with Wildwood Flower. 50 years ago and there again that day.

Like I said it was a slow day and I thanked her for springing me out of that place and giving me somewhere to go. I appreciate it.

"Well, I got a little upgrade too." she said. "Nice to remember these things."

I wanted to ask her to tell her father I said hello. We were already at the site.

...
...

Wildwood Flower and the Carter Family lyrics

I will twine, I will mingle my raven black hair
With the roses so red and the lilies so fair
And the myrtle so bright with it's emerald hue
The pale emanita and the hyssop so blue

I will dance, I will sing and my laugh shall be gay
I will charm every heart, in his crown I will sway
I woke from my dreaming, my idol was clay
All portions of loving had all flown away

But he taught me to love him and promised to love
And to cherish me over all others above
My poor heart is wondering no misery can tell
He left with no warning, no word of farewell

Well you told me you love me and called me your flower
That was blooming to cheer you through life's dreary hour
I live to see him regret life's dark hour
He's gone and neglected this pale wildwood flower