Wednesday, April 28, 2010

'I'll Be in Boulder'

I'll Be in Boulder


I guess I didn't understand

What she wanted me to say.

All the little lies I told

Just got in the way—

She said I couldn't stay…

Now here I am explainin',

To the suitcase in my truck,

That were headin' home to Utah,

Adios, I wish you luck.

(CHORUS)

Highway Twelve to Boulder

I guess I won't be holdin' her,

I should have told her,

That I'd be in Boulder.

I'd be in Boulder. (three times on the last chorus)

I'll be in Boulder.


Driving through Fredonia,

As the sun goes down to bed,

Our last conversation

Is swimmin' in my head—

The cruel things she said.

Boxes of old letters

And pictures on the floor,

I'm halfway to my home town,

The rain begins to pour…

(Chorus)

Slidin' through Bryce Canyon,

The rain turns into snow—

I stop into a restaurant,

To call and let her know,

That it's bitter cold—

It's bitter cold.

The phone just keeps on ringin',

No message I can send,

I guess I'll just keep traveling…

I should have told her then…

(Chorus)

I thought I'd start out writing from Boulder with some song lyrics. Boulder is filled with lyrics and stories. I'm finally here for the next incarnation—I'm always excited about the possibilities. For two years now, I've been consumed with 'Bohemian Cowboy', and now its time to put it away for awhile and open up the magic trunk and see what's still inside.

So, this is the scenario. I'm sitting in my Dad's old trailer in Lower Boulder. For those of you who have never been here, in short, it's almost to beautiful to look at. The road that leads to the front of my little home on the horse ranch is the one towards civilization. The backside of the trailer opens up to a field about four hundred yards this side of a sand rock mesa called 'The Durphy', and then for the next hundred miles beyond that, it is wilderness. And I do mean wilderness. Canyon lands, forests of cedar and pinon pine, high desert, and the mysterious Henry Mountains in the distance, beyond that you will eventually find Colorado. I have the door open, and the breeze is blowing through the windows, curtains spilling up. Its about fifty-eight degrees in here, with air as fresh and crisp as you could ever imagine. Looking out the door, beyond some giant cottonwood trees, the sun is sinking slowly over the endless sand rock mesas. I can hear every kind of bird, (spring is coming) and a few moments ago I heard a flock of Canadian Geese flying overhead. A little earlier than that, about thirty head of Rocky Mountain mule deer trotted right by the trailer, as Baby went into a deer chasing frenzy. In the mornings, you wake up to the sound of coyotes yipping just beyond the field.

Last night, Baby chased the deer across the fields to The Durphy, and I had to go and look for her. If she is not inside or staked up, there is no stopping her from chasing the deer. Yesterday, I took her up to Kim's to see her mother. Of course, ever since we've been here, and everywhere we go, she jumps around in circles like a little circus clown, and she went crazy again when she saw her mom. She knows we are home, and she is on full alert.

Because of the masses amounts of snow and cold weather this winter, I had two water pipes crack, and so as always coming home, there are things to fix. In Boulder, you don't have a choice but to become an amateur plumber when you need to, or an electrician, or anything else if you want it fixed today. You keep spare pipe and wire, and of course plenty of duct tape and bottles of water. I usually pick up a bag of beef jerky on the Navajo Indian reservation, some wheat bread, and hard tack candy for the first few days of getting settled. I can't quite get into the ginger snap cookies that Grandpa King used to have to snack on, but I'll bet there's some old chocolate chip cookies here somewhere! Sound healthy? Oh, people, it's livin'! This weekend, I'll pick up some groceries in St George so that I don't die of jerky poisoning. Actually, last night I went to Cheryl and Steve's for some of the best meat loaf I've had in quite a spell. And of course, there are some random cans of food left over from last year. I think there's a can of Franco American spagettios for breakfast. The first night I spent here, I woke up to find a freshly baked blueberry muffin, some fresh strawberries, and some coffee from two of my favorite Boulder people, Tom and Lauren Jerome. from just down the lane. So, truth be told, everyone here in Boulder are keeping me fed before I can even get to the jerky.

I love the people of Boulder. Even though I've been gone for six months, people here treat you like a long lost cousin that they have been waiting to see. (of course, here, you could very well be a cousin!) There are hugs, not handshakes, and the folks here always look as thought they belong here. Mayor Bill Muse stopped by to say hello and talk about western movies. Anselm came by to talk about music and what's happening in Taos, New Mexico. I spent yesterday morning and this morning helping Camille put linseed oil on the motel, and got caught up with her and Cheryl on the upcoming events. Mike dropped by wanting to talk about the Smithsonian music Exhibit coming through this summer at The Anasazai Musem, and Rob dropped by with some extra plumbing parts. As we were oiling, some cowboys pushed about a hundred head of cows up the highway, and so I went out and talked to Barbra Gardner who was driving her truck in front of the herd. We talked about how many cattle might have been lost with the deep snow on the winter range, and she told me about the great snowstorm of 1946, when hundreds were lost. This is a typical day in Boulder. Stories and laughter, the good mood applies to everyone as the spring buds are starting to show up on the trees. Boulder is a place where the cell phone signal is weak, but people still visit and politic across the bed of a pick-up truck, and in Boulder, many of them are democrats! Of course every year here, there are new people to meet, young people who have come to work on an organic farm or work in Rob and Donna's store, and of course there is always a new random musician or someone who has taken up the drums during the long winter months. Yes, its good to be back!

As is tradition for me, the first night back I always take out my guitar and play for a couple of hours and this time was no exception. I noticed some improvement from the winter spent in Austin, and I'm excited to get started on some new songs, or, often the case, old songs that are ready to be finished. I usually get a couple going right away, and then they come to me across the experience of the summer. Although I did come pretty close to having to sell my guitar this winter, I once again hung on to the ole girl, she has been with me now for twenty-six years. The great thing about a Martin guitar is that they increase in value as the years move by. This guitar could almost keep me going for three months if I sold it, but now that I'm home, I think I'll be alright. I have two goals musically this summer. The first is spending more time playing an electric guitar, and the second is to play sessions with a drummer. With Rustin's help this winter, I've learned to count as I play, which will make it so much easier on other musicians playing with me. Playing with a drummer is the next evolution I have to make. I've sent five songs off to Paramount Publishing in Nashville, (one of my goals before I left Austin) and so it will be interesting to hear what they have to say. The movie script and the 'three picture deal' are coming along, but that's all I'll say for now. Once things look like they are going to 'go through', I'll tell you all about it. It could change my life, or at least my life style. Truth be told, that scares me some, however, it would be nice to purchase some things that I need. We'll see, hopes are high on that deal, but for now, I'm keeping it close.

Other great news was getting a copy of Kurt's novel, 'HG'. For some of you who don't know Kurt, he is a good friend of mine, a writer, playwright, film maker, fitness expert, (eleven books) and the director for eight of my plays including 'Bohemian Cowboy'. Kurt is another bohemian, based in NYC, however, you will often find him in Los Angeles, San Antonio, or Northern Nevada where he is filming a documentary on wild horses. Kurt and I spent two summers here in Boulder several years ago writing two screenplays. He loves our family and our family loves him. Anyway, this novel he sent is one of the finest first seventy-five pages, (so far) I've ever read of American fiction. There was a writer named Paul Auster, ('Hand to Mouth', The New York Trilogy) that I read in my twenties that changed my perspective on the world. I had the same feeling reading this novel. 'HG', which stands for hunter/gatherer is a contemporary novel about being a hunter/gatherer in current day New York City. The structure of the novel parallels the History of Western Civilization, which gives it its original punch. When I read the first draft of this novel a year ago, I prophesied that this novel would drastically change Kurt's life and his place in the world. Now that the both of us have worked all our lives for these changes and opportunities success might bring, as we have both discussed, we don't know if this will be a good thing or not. When you have lived in the gyms and theatres of poverty for most of your life, living on the edges of cliffs, as strange as it may sound, suddenly meeting with great success is not what it sounded like even ten years ago. I suppose if it came now, we could both get a newer used car and a water pick. Anyway, I think you will hear about this novel in the next couple of years. I'll keep filling you in. I'm excited because I'm the first person he allowed to read it. Go Kurt!


5 comments:

Gerry said...

Sure glad you got around to sharing your homecoming to Boulder with all of us. First of all, I am worried about Baby chasing deer. It may become the all consuming passion of her life. And it sounds like the deer have really come in close during this heavy winter of snows. Well, guess nothing can be done about a dog's interest in those faster critters running by. And you have to contend. Cheryl wrote on Facebook she saw a cougar on the side of the road, too. No doubt attracted by the deer, too. Yep, you are really back in the wilds up in Boulder. So I enjoyed hearing about that. And all that you and Kurt are doing to improve your fortunes. Sounds like they need to be improved some!
I did enjoy this sojourn into Boulder by way of your blog. Made a really nice change in my day!

Chuckh said...

You make it sound wonderful to be back. Makes me want to leave Phoenix today! I do miss the ocean in Nor Cal. I miss the smell of the harnour and seeinf the boats freshly loaded with the days catch. Oh, well...Can always visit where we want to go.

kanyonland King 2.blogspot.com said...

It would be nice to buy some steak instead of hamburger. And fix up the waterline without feeling you'll have to go without shoes. So I'm hoping a little success comes your way (and Kurt's), so paying the usual bill can be done without stress. I need to pay my stupid drugs!
Babe would love the deer...but she could run into a Cougar too.

caroline said...

Welcome home, Raymond. Will you be playing at the Bone soon? missing your good energy there...

DB said...

Success after years of poverty surely can't be such a sudden or life changing thing if one has lived a wealthy life in one's heart, or if one remains a pauper in his heart even after wealth.

I would like to try out my theory.

DB