|
|
The
Songs of Linda
Written
November 2001 and December 2005
I
once was a young man in charge of a channel
On cable TV, airing low-budget shows.
'Twas
there that I met her: a friendly young lady
Whose outgoing perkiness masked inner woes.
Now
here is my song about cute little Linda,
Her husband Dan Macho, their terrible row.
The
story is real, though some names have been altered;
No need to reopen those ancient wounds now.
|
CHORUS |
|
Hear our
happy exclamation:
Linda,
welcome to our station!
You could
be the new sensation
On our TV show.
We've been
telling one another:
You're a
splendid wife and mother.
Every
viewer and his brother
Wants to say hello.
Once an
airline flight attendant,
Pretty,
smart, and independent,
Now a TV
star ascendant,
You are good to go!
|
LINDA
|
|
I'm
not. Not yet.
This could be fun,
But it's all new.
Help
me.
In
my whole life,
I've not been on
TV at all.
Teach
me.
How
should I act?
What should I say?
Where should I look?
Show
me.
|
TOM |
|
Well,
this camera's here, and the other is there.
They
have lights on the top, as you may be aware,
And
the one lit in red is the one that's "on air."
And that is how that works.
When
you talk, please speak up, but don't overextend.
And
don't lecture the lens. Instead, try to pretend
Just
beyond that one lens there is one special friend.
And this is how that works:
Though
the number who watch may be vast and unknown,
You
should speak "one to one," for we all watch alone.
Just
imagine a friend with a smile like your own!
And that is how that works.
|
LINDA |
|
Thanks for your aid!
I was afraid
My
stage fright here might worsen.
But now I see:
I'm on TV,
Yet
talking to one person.
You've been so kind,
And here I find
No
reason to stay fearful:
The lights are warm,
And they transform
My
mood from cold to cheerful.
Here, I have fun!
I wish the sun
Shone
this bright on the outside.
My sons, who wait
At home, are great,
Yet
home still makes me red-eyed.
My husband Dan
Distrustful man
Leaves
me irate and fuming,
Dan secretly
Will follow me,
Suspicions
all-consuming.
I
should stay home, he says,
And
if I dare go out
To the mall or to talk with a friend,
He's
jealous of my time.
He
questions where I've been
And
then accuses me
Of committing some ludicrous sin.
|
CHORUS |
|
Our cousin
is having some similar problems.
His daughter and son-in-law constantly fight.
It's
forced us to wonder again about marriage,
For nobody seems to be doing it right.
No, nobody seems to be doing it right.
|
LINDA |
|
Last
night a vase was thrown.
That's
how I cut my hand.
Now I won't say just who was at fault;
But
afterwards in bed
Beside
him, lying there,
I
stared the ceiling down.
These disputes must be brought to a halt!
|
CHORUS |
|
But still,
for the sake of the kids, you can't leave him.
It's better to stick it out night after night.
At least,
that's what everyone seems to be saying,
Though nobody seems to be doing it right.
No, nobody seems to be doing it right.
|
TOM |
|
On matters of marriage
I admit
I don't have
Much personal
insight.
All
I know I learned in Sunday school.
There we learned
That life will be better
If
we always live the Golden Rule.
We must love one another
And forgive one another
And care for one another.
Then we can work it out.
Forgiveness is vital,
That I know.
Just tell Dan
How much you are sorry
For
whatever wrongs you might have done,
Then he will
Apologize likewise
And
you two again can live as one.
We must love one another
And forgive one another
And care for one another.
Then we can work it out.
Yes, love is the answer.
Jesus said
All of us
Should love one another.
By
the way, you know I care for you.
No, I'm not
"In love" with you, Linda,
But
I love you as the church folk do.
We must love one another
And forgive one another
And care for one another.
Then we can work it out.
|
LINDA |
|
No
matter what your "love" asserts,
I
can't love Dan. I've tried. It hurts.
It hurts.
It really really really hurts.
Though
I'm no angel, he's a jerk.
It's
clear our marriage just won't work.
Won't work.
Won't ever ever ever work.
No
more can anyone pretend
These
wounds will heal. This is the end.
The end.
The very very very end.
|
CHORUS |
|
There's no
reason for pretending
There will
be a happy ending,
All the
hurts and heartaches mending
In the final reel.
Life goes
on. To be objective
Putting
knowledge in perspective
Life does
sometimes seem defective,
Less than our ideal.
|
LINDA |
|
So
now I've got to go, Tom.
Don't
worry about me, please.
I
am not worth the trouble.
|
TOM |
|
You
know that you are.
|
LINDA |
|
But
now I've got to go, Tom.
Don't
worry about me, please.
|
TOM |
|
You
know that I will.
|
LINDA |
|
But
now I've got to go.
|
CHORUS |
|
Go
henceforth in peace,
Both now
and evermore.
May you
someday find
The joy
that was before.
|