Alexis, Row Your Boat...

Last night was so cool.

Tom Proutt showed up with his electric guitar, Braxton brought percussion equipment, and the three of us played music at Dr. Ho's Humble Pie in North Garden, VA. Great Great Pizza!

A couple and their young daughter Alexis come in and sit at the front table, right in front of us. Alexis was very much enjoying the music, and she made sure we knew that with her applause. We had fun interacting for awhile.

She got a real kick when I spoke of Alice the Canine Messiah, and showed the stickers and t-shirts with Alice's picture - she had seen the back of the van when they pulled in.

Just before they left Alexis showed the paper plate she had been coloring to her mom, and her mom smiled and encouraged Alexis to show it to us. She did. It said "You Rock", with a heart drawn between the two words.

A couple minutes later she came up and held the plate out to me, as a Gift. I took it, and thanked her, and then asked if she would please sign it for us. She did.

I gave her a couple of Alice stickers... She seemed pretty thrilled about that.

And then... I said...

"Alexis, do you know the song Row Your Boat?" She nodded.

Dr. Ho's had about 20 customers, and the place fell strangely quiet.

"Alice showed me that song is true Alexis." I glanced at her parents, a gentle fierce glare suggesting they pay attention. They were. Smiling; gratitude in their eyes.

"You have come to Life with your own little Boat Alexis, perfectly prepared to Row thru the Dream of Your Life." She was really tuned in, eyes locked to mine.

"Row Your Boat Alexis. Gently, merrily, downstream - with the flow Alexis. This is It Alexis. Have fun!"

She smiled. Her folks smiled.

As they got up to leave they all said "Thanks!" and I said "Thank You!" and her dad lost his smile, looked me sternly & gently, in the eye and said "No. I mean Thanks. Thank You."

I think he meant the Row Your Boat discourse...

What a night. I have the best job!

Peace,

Greg & Alice

Unrequested Song

...is the title of a song I wrote some time ago. This morning, strumming through the creation of a set list for tonight's show, it came back and presented itSelf for consideration.

I have not played it in awhile - over a year I bet. So I dusted off its memory and began to play and it all came back pretty easily.

In many ways it never made sense to me, the words. I always liked them, and left them as they were though.

This morning, it made quite a bit of sense...

I'll play it tonight.

**
Unrequested Song

In the forest, the age-old question. My guitar and my voice are around.
A tree is breaking, a song is making, there's no one here to hear the falling sounds.
And there I found an unknown meter an unheard of sense of rhyme.
Stunning chords and words; like words you know but haven't heard in quite some Time.
-
I played it there, I sang it there, then I left the sounds alone.
If no one cared, or no one was there, to hear it, then I wonder...
My heart aches to sing it with you, my head: to leave it alone.
I played it once that seemed enough and no one's ever asked. Unrequested song.
-
I'd bring it here, I'd sing it here, but I left the sounds alone
If someone cares, or goes back there to hear it... I wonder....
My heart aches to sing it with you, my head: to leave it alone
I played it twice just to get it right and no one ever asks. Unrequested song.
**
copyright 2002 Greg Allen