Today’s Stream of Social Consciousness word prompt by my friend Linda G. Hill is “Earworm“. At first glance, I turned my nose up at it. I was thinking “earwig” and thought, “how the hell am I going to write about a creepy bug?” I then spent the next 10 minutes or so wondering why I always called it “earwig” when it appears the correct name is “earworm”. Anyway, I finally googled it and realized she was not referring to the creepy bug, (which most definitely is named “earwig“). “Earworm” refers to a song that gets stuck in your head. Oh yes, I thought. I can write about this…
When I was about five years old or so, my family drove from Massachusetts to Disney World. We took my dad’s blue truck. The back pickup bed had a cab on it and we slept in there on blankets and pillows, goofing off and playing games to stave off the boredom. God, it’s amazing any kids at all survived back then…how did people think popping kids in the back of a truck with nothing to secure them was a good idea? Anyway, on one particular stretch of the journey, I was riding shotgun with my dad. My brother and sister were in the back cab, while my mom was napping in the back seat. This was in the mid 70s, so no CDs or cassettes for music. I’m sure we probably could have had an 8 track player in there, but Dad didn’t roll like that. He was old-school. We were in an isolated area of endless highway with no radio reception, so he ended up just turning it off. I’m not sure if it was the last song on the radio, or maybe it was the only popular song I knew, but I started singing “Country Roads” by John Denver. The problem was, I only knew the chorus. “Country roads, take me home….to the place…I belonggggggg…..West Virginia…mountain momma….take me home…country roads….”. I must have sung that chorus for a good 3 or 4 hours. After about the 50th round, my dad looks over at me, sitting there in my pigtails, crooning to him and says, “Don’t you know any other words to that song? Or any OTHER songs?” I giggled and said, “nope!” and kept on serenading him, until we finally reached an area of reception and my anthem was replaced by something else…probably Crystal Gayle or Gordon Lightfoot or someone like that.
Throughout the years, my dad and I would reminisce about that day, and one of us would sing the chorus and we both would end up with wide smiles as we returned to that blue pickup truck. It unofficially became “our song”.
I’m 46 now. My dad is 77. Life has it’s funny way of not working out the way you plan, you know? Families sometimes become fractured and before you realize what’s happening, relationships are just gone. I don’t really get to talk to my dad anymore, and it’s kind of weird how that song seems to be popping up everywhere lately. Except I don’t find myself with that wide smile any longer…instead, I end up with kind of a tight throat and a tear or two rolling down my cheek….like right now. Maybe life will figure out a way to turn things back around again. God, I miss him.
Take me home… to the place I belong…
The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Sept. 8/18
I love John Denver and Country Roads is a beautiful song. I hope that you will get reunited with your dad, before it’s too late.
I’m so sorry your relationship with your father is so fractured. My hope for you is healing and peace. Isn’t it amazing how something like a song can transport us in time?
Years ago, my younger brother and I were living and working in Maine and loved to listen to “Bert and I” recordings (funny Maine based stories). To this day we can recite the “punchline” of one of the stories together. Takes me right back to my twenties when I began my career on the ocean.
John Denver is one of my favorite favorites and “Country Roads” is the perfect song to sing on the road. I’m sorry about the fractured relationships. I know it’s hard. But I love that you write, “Maybe life will figure out a way to turn things back around again.” I have a feeling your dad misses something about you, too, even if he would not admit it. I’m not saying you need to do anything about that, because you have to take care of you and let life work it out. Or God. I’m saying a prayer for you right now for peace and healing to come to you. <3
That was lovely. I hope you can heal the wounds with your dad. <3
It's a song that pops in my head a lot, too, actually. My children don't care for my singing it — I should probably buy it so they can learn to appreciate the source. "West Virginia, Mountain Mama…"
It’s such a great song. I cry every damn time now, the meaning is so different than before. Bittersweet memories, but I’ll take em