Inspired by my buddy, Christian Wilson (the man who can do anything) I recently drove all night from San Clemente, California to Boise Idaho. It is a mere 1065 miles. When you have 4 children bouncing around in the Van you drive until they go to sleep and then you drive until they wake up. The quiet in the van is divine.  It took several pills called “awake” to keep me lucid. The word awake on the bottle was designed with a font that looked like a lightning bolt. I remember driving through Salt Lake City at 4AM and feeling very “awake” because I had just taken my third pill.

Having peace and quiet allowed me to actually listen to my large music collection on my iphone. I never get to listen to music without several interruptions so it was delicious to the ears. I fell in love with Johnny Cash music in the 90’s. My Buddy, Steve Cady got me into them. He quoted a large portion of the song “long, black veil” one time and I thought “that sounds cool”. Here is that song with lyrics:

Ten years ago, on a cold dark night
Someone was killed, ‘neath the town hall light
There were few at the scene, but they all agreed
That the slayer who ran, looked a lot like me

 

The judge said son, what is your alibi
If you were somewhere else, then you won’t have to die
I spoke not a word, thou it meant my life
For I’d been in the arms of my best friend’s wife

She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
Nobody knows, nobody sees
Nobody knows but me

Oh, the scaffold is high and eternity’s near
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
But late at night, when the north wind blows
In a long black veil, she cries ov’re my bones

She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
Nobody knows, nobody sees
Nobody knows but me

It’s a dramatic song. I listened to the song as I drove over the mountains of North Utah. The night air was still and the traffic was light. Everything is more dramatic at 5AM if you’ve been up all day and night. I looked over at my sleeping wife and shed a tear. Just at that moment she sneezed and hit her head on the passenger window. I laughed.

Then I got this one from the shuffle. Its better then “long, black veil” because its funny. Sad and poignant but funny.

When life seems full
Of clouds and rain
And I’m full
Of nothin’ but pain
Who soothes my thumpin’, bumpin’ brain?
Nobody

 

When Wintertime comes
With its snow and sleet
And me with hunger
And cold feet
Who says “Here’s two bits, go and eat”?
Nobody

Well, I ain’t never done nothin’ to nobody
I ain’t never got nothin’ from nobody, no time
And until I get something from somebody, sometime
I don’t intend to do nothin’ for nobody, no time

When Summertime comes
All warm and clear
And my friends see me
Drawin’ near
Who says “come on in and have a beer”?
Nobody

Well one time when things was
Lookin’ bright
I started to whittlin’ on a stick one night
Who said “Hey! That’s dynamite!”?
Nobody

Mmmm, I ain’t never done nothin’ to nobody
I ain’t never got nothin’ from nobody, no time
And until I get something from somebody, sometime
I don’t intend to do nothin’ for nobody, no time

I ain’t never done nothin’ to nobody
I ain’t never got nothin’ from nobody, no time
And until I get something from somebody, sometime
I don’t intend to do nothin’ for nobody, no time

 

As I sped through the town of Burley Idaho at 6AM the early morning workers were out in their cars huddled over their steering wheels squinting through the part of their windshields that they were willing to scrape clear of frost. It was dark and 25 degrees. We cruised to Twin Falls and through Mountain home at 7:45. I kept looking east in the rear view mirror for the sunrise. Between Mountain Home and Boise the land rises slowly and then gradually descends into the Treasure Valley. The sky lightened and mists rose from the farms. There was profound silence in the van even though the kids were all awake stirring around. The sky and land were a gorgeous pallette of powder blue, grey and tan. The sunrise was electrifying. It shot beams of gold light across the hills. Right when the sun shone through the van the noise started with the kids.