[MD] Fire and Rain

[John Carl]

Suzanne the plans they made put an end to you
I woke up this morning, and I wrote down this song.
I just can't remember who to send it to.

James Taylor; as learned by the author in miss Ann Roacha's 6th grade guitar
class

I've been thinking  about miss Ann Roacha, my teacher at Scott's Valley
Middle School,  who was the sweetest, prettiest, most hip and sexy, slender
and miniskirted teacher I ever saw in my life.  Admittedly, most of my
previous experience was SDA parochial school, but even so I know she was
something special.  Years later my Uncle Arnold, who lived in Scotts Valley
many years, took guitar from her and still sorta just sighed over her, the
way all men did.   She was the cherry on a perfect existence - Scott's
Valley, 1971.  Nestled in at the base of the Santa Cruz mounains.  Ann
taught health as well, so she was my instructress in Sex ed. Drugs and Rock
and Roll.

Sigh indeed.

I've been thinking about her, and that guitar class, because of a story I've
been working on.  A story I owe to a girl, a friend of my oldest daughter
Em, who won it from me in a contest.  I'll probably share it when it's done,
because the contest was name the people in the photo on my face book page,
and the people were RMP and Chris, posed on the motorcycle.  The story
starts with Miss Anne Rocha's guitar class; my mom  interrupting me learning
that song in our fourth week, with terrible news.

Just yesterday morning, they let me know you were gone...

But that's not ready yet.  Today you'll hear about the usual subject this
time of year, with a few surprising juxtapositions.

The usual subject this time of year, is fire -  our only nemesis in this
here neck of the woods.  You might hear about the threats people in
California live under - floods, earthquakes, tsunami maybe.  But  the
foothills of the Sierras are impervious to earthquake, riding as we do our
400 mile long, 20 mile wide, solid slab of granite surfboard, into the
sunset.  Tsunamis and floods are problems for the valley people and coast -
dwellers at the bottom of our 1800 feet in the air.  Tornadoes and
Hurricanes happen elsewhere, and our only real fear is fire and only from
July to October.

There's one started yesterday, pretty close to the same place I saw one
start last year.  In the woody inaccessible areas below the bullards bar
reservior, right behind my house.  This year I'm not as worried about it,
because the wind's wrong (nice! no smell of smoke) and it  did something
real unusual for this time of year - it rained.  Just a bit, scattered
drops, no more,  but obviously we've got humidity in the air.  The dry
eastern wind which dessicated is gone for now.


Lu and I have agreed to separate.  That's a brand new development.  Not with
any hostility, nor with much sadness.  We both think its a good idea, each
of us for our own reasons, and many good ones we both share.  We've
discussed it in terms of our community situation and children.   We're not
interested in dating other people (oh god - shudders.  As if any woman in
the world could put up with me except Lu. And if they would, believe me,
they ain't good enough for me.  Sorta one of those groucho marx thingies.)
We're interested in changing some patterns.  And she's working at Josh's
school all week, and our vehicle situation is dire, and it just makes sense
for her to spend the night in town.  Meanwhile, all the piles and piles of
things that our house so desperately needs, don't get done unless I'm here
to do them.  And not even then.  So I guess while I say there's no
hostility, there's gonna be if I don't get this place in better shape.  And
I just don't seem to be much motivated when she's here all the time, seeing
to the things that need to be done, being her sweet, loving self and its
like, I'm perfectly happy so why make any effort?

So anyway, that's that.  I've had Josh all weekend, just him and me.  We get
to  have the house to ourselves apart from feminine domination in   9 years
for him, 20 for me.

So the longing for my wife, and and relief from disapprobation  are opposing
forces in my heart.  Fire and rain.  It fits the mood of the moment.

I've seen fire, and I've seen rain.
I've seen sunny days, that I thought would never end.
I've seen lonely times, when I could not find a friend.
But I know that I will see her, be with her again.