2011-12-10

Episode 1: Lillith Sings















hey mister better tell me what you're gonna do
about that pitbull you’re kickin’ and then letting run loose.
it’s not right. it’s our right – and that's plain abuse.

hey neighbour, i wonder if you beat your wife
but it’s not me waitin’ on sirens after a call
or my son who is listening, bouncing b-ball
chorus:
good man can you hear me? i’m ready to lean
yet stand steady beside you, come see what i mean
i carry porch songs in my pocket. 'n you in my heart
seeds are ripe now, to sow a fresh start...
i’d rather make music than money it’s true
but the family i dream of needs both. and you too.
hey officer, trust me 
your mount thinks that the mat
is a ditch on the midway by the carny laid flat

hey pony, leap forward, 
instead of step down,
to make it over where you’re needed across town

chorus
*
It's all about the rhythm with the ponies, Jill overhead Roomie say to her musician friends, while working in her room.  Her mentor had posted on someone else's facebook wall about a web-inar, but Jill wanted to attend the education session about appropriate use of social networking anyway!  She'd been wondering if her activity was helping or hurting her life and professional progression... 

The phrase, social networking, was supposed to indicate on-line activity but in this case it brought to Jill's mind the behaviour of one of Jill's "rivals".  The senior coach had been drunk in the afternoon, at a sunny suburban festival in the small town.  She was wearing pink biker chaps and her red, red lipstick was smeared, as she fawned over the less than interested bass player from the very mediocre hard rock band that was set to play.  She was actually friendly to Jill for a change, and seemed sincerely glad to see her.  In fact she even seemed a bit put off when Jill wanted to move on and look around at the rest of the event.  As Jill walked, she doubted that  the other equine professional would even remember running into her.

Probably, what bugged Jill the most was the biker chaps. Did she want some? If she thought about it, Jill had dated lots of guys with motorcycles.  But, one time when a bunch of Harley's were coming up the hill in the former mining town for the matinee music, Jill said to her friend "Maybe my next boyfriend will have a motorcycle" to which her friend instantly replied "do you want a boyfriend, or do you need a motorcycle?"  Maybe if she was horse-riding more she wouldn't think of riding bikes. 

On her on-line wall,  "I'm not very good at taking a hint." her friend had advised, "Next time be more direct."  Jill agreed, she had a knack for not being direct.  But only when it really mattered, as in, to her true heart.  She was glad for his reminder about speaking out about her real wishes.  She was learning to speak up in real life more often recently, to great success, about her personal needs, and even secret wants.

Despite her best media-biz ticket cost write off intentions, after the Sarah Mclachlin concert Jill wrote a song instead of a review.  Would the ticket write off still work? She'd not been a huge fan beforehand, but she knew and liked the well-known music well enough.  She'd even been compared vocally to the Canadian icon.  Plus, Jill was making friends across quite an age gap and when new Roomie suggested it, Jill was keen to hang out. She was to meet Roomie and her new lady pal/coworker from India at the show.   It was bad weatherish and Jill was to leave from home with garbage bags to sit on and rain jackets to spare, while they would be holding good spots on the soggy lawn, heading to the venue directly together from work. 

Afterwards she was all churning up with a love hate thing about the concert in general.  So much of the show was sickeningly contrived and yet so many of the songs were so breath takingly beautiful, with spectacular presentation.  And, what about that guitar player, ha.  Also, harmonium! Yum!  Jill also enjoyed the ideal of the musician's family life - married to the drummer, baby on the road with them... A bohemian, harmonious, happy, successful lifestyle was enviably beautiful and the music was grand to say the least.  And there was an inspirational thing that happened en route!

Rushing through the nearly deserted midway, Jill noticed a couple of officers on horseback.   Just a couple of days before that she had patted one of them on her way to a Harbourfront Shift, and not washed her hand all day for the horse smell.  She was paying attention to the mounted teams for a chance to say hello horsie again.

But they looked like they were busy and intent on something serious and for sure the horses were agitated and as one of them cantered by her, she stepped aside off the sidewalk for the next one following behind. You never see them cantering around, Jill was curious.  The second horse suddenly stopped and shied from the middle of the path, refusing to follow his fellow horse. 

As the spinning frightened equine was coming a little too close towards her,  Jill said standing calmly "I thought they looked uptight."

The stern cop just gave Jill a tough look and bustled past on the snorting horse and Jill realized this man was in an episode requiring a tiny bit more horsemanship than he had, even though they are actually, usually quite good riders. She understood now what was going on.

She could see how he needed to keep authority in public and so wouldn't acknowledge that fact that his horse was giving him trouble, to hippie chick standing by.

Indeed by now a crowd was noticing, and folks were murmuring, wondering why the horse was so wound up and refusing to go home to their stable just at the other end of the path.  Jill could offer more help, but it seemed he wasn't interested so she calmly shrugged and started walking away with a gesture at the black matt on the ground over some power cables.   "He thinks that's a ditch."

And the cop urged his horse two steps towards Jill asking, "He what?"

Jill turned around to face them. "When I had to teach a horse to jump a ditch where there wasn't one, I used a matt like that. He's refusing at a ditch.  That's why you are stuck." The cop was listening, so Jill came closer and patting the horses shoulder, added "Do you want me to to pick it up to see if the horse will step over the power cables instead?" The matt went as far as you could see, to the left and to the right.  Jill wondered how she could even do that, as the cop shook his head no.   So, Jill took charge of the situation and said  "Well you are gonna have to send him over this then."   And, she stood back from the horse at the edge of the imaginary cliff, and just started giving instructions. 

"Put your leg on.  Ride forwards to it, and yeeeeesss, let him stretch his neck like that.  He's looking at it, but you look ahead.  Urge him on. No, don't the pull the reins at all. Sit up! Leg.  Look up! And more leg, come on, leg, leg, leg..." The mounted officer was listening to her and taking the appropriate action, with rather good timing, and yet the horse wouldn't go.  He was like just quivering and stepping in place.  To Jill that was unfair, ha.  The rider was doing well and the horse wouldn't do it!  The big gelding was almost ready to jump and but just wouldn't quite go.  

"The longer he's allowed to refuse the harder it becomes to get him to go."  His lead horse was still on the other side but now more and more people were gathering around, and started offering their two cents and Jill thought the situation was going from bad to worse.

Surprising even herself she said "We do not have time for this,"  and she took a step forward to grab the horse's bridle, saying as she did "C'mon on dumb*ss!  Let's go!"  (Later she couldn't believe she'd said dumb*ss in front of an officer! And, a crowd!)

And then the horse, instead of jumping across it like they'd been asking, realized with her step on it, that it was solid ground and accepted the rider's urging finally.  The giant gelding stepped on the mat with one big plodding hoof too, and moved forward into canter.  As they clattered off down the laneway picking up some speed, all the people clapped.  Such good will and joy all round!

When Jill found the ladies on the lawn, handing out the rain gear she said "The greatest thing happened on my way here. I just rescued the police!"   And the lights dimmed and the concert started...

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