Aug 26, 2009

"bells will ring...."

Hearing that Ellie Greenwich has died today, I'm reminded of one of my favorite songs of all time, one she co-wrote.

I was just a toddler really, maybe three. Next door lived some older girls, sisters, nine or ten, dazzlingly sophisticated to me. Their mother still had ratted hair, though it had been out of style for at least five years by then. Their father was skinny and wore pomade.
They had barbies and easy bake ovens. I wanted to be like them.

One day, a hot summer day, I remember the girls were having a terrible fight. One of them was standing on the hood of their parents' car, hurling old 45s at the older sister's head. The sunlight gleamed off the flying vinyl. Their mother's prized 45s crashed to the ground in a hail of black plastic. I shudder to think what awaited those girls after that. Somehow I think those barbies might have been baked in that Easy Bake oven.
Who knows. Who cares, really?

What I remember most about that day is that after they'd been summoned in by their bellowing mother, I picked up the one 45 that had not been broken. It was old and scratched, but when I took it home, it still played. It was the second record I ever owned (and it was stolen from the trash).
It was New Orleans' own Dixie Cups singing "Chapel of Love".
It's all so prophetic.

12 comments:

ayeM8y said...

I wish somebody would come along for both of us. We could have a double wedding at The Chapel of Love If only Florida and Louisiana allowed gay marriage, if only we could find husbands, if only...

The Mistress said...

When your big day (oops, I typed big Gay) comes, can I give you both away?

ayeM8y said...

Pardon me Mistress, but haven't you already done that? At least in my case...and no one wanted me :(

ayeM8y said...

Perhaps Mistress could carve out some space on infomaniac and start some cruel government run non-prophet organization with a redundant title like,

“Mistress M.J.’s Home for Unwanted Old Gay Folks Home"

"Mean Dirty Old Pirate & Jason, your rooms are ready”

The Mistress said...

Perhaps Mistress could carve out some space on infomaniac and start some cruel government run non-prophet organization with a redundant title like,
“Mistress M.J.’s Home for Unwanted Old Gay Folks Home"


Oh darling, I’ve a spot reserved for both you AND Jason at our Retirement Home for Tired Old Poofters.

ayeM8y said...

I should have known that you would be just one step ahead. Such an overachiever. I'm ready for my room now.

Elizabeth said...

"Sunlight glinted off the flying vinyl" might be my favorite sentence ever!

larry said...

jason i think you've lost control of your blog!

jason said...

Thank you, Mistress,

I can't wait to see our lovely apartment at the Retirement Home for Old Poofters.

I call the top (bunk)!

The Mistress said...

Do you think you can manage the top bunk, what with your knees?

jason said...

uh....my knees have never failed me. Never.

The Mistress said...

Then I must be thinking of MDP.

There must be a reason he wears those knee pads.