Wednesday, December 16, 2015

A Better Place To Be ~ Harry Chapin

Harry Chapin was a master story teller, among numerous other talents. I thought I'd heard all of his classics until I stumbled across this one today. I suppose you never really hear anything until you're ready for it, or until you really need it... complete lyrics are below the YouTube clip.

"A Better Place To Be"

It was an early morning bar room
And the place just opened up
And the little man come in so fast and
Started at his cups

And the broad who served the whiskey
She was a big old friendly girl
And she tried to fight her empty nights
By smilin' at the world

And she said "Hey Bub, It's been awhile
Since you been around
Where the hell you been hidin'?
And why you look so down ?

But the little man just sat there like he'd never heard a sound
The waitress she give out a cough
Acting not the least put off
She spoke once again

She said, "I don't want to bother you
Consider it's understood
I know I'm not no beauty queen
But I sure can listen good"

And the little man took his drink in his hand
And he raised it to his lips
He took a couple of sips
And he told the waitress this story

I am the midnight watchman down at Miller's Tool and Die
And I watch the metal rusting, I watch the time go by
A week ago at the Diner, I stopped to get a bite
And this here lovely lady she sat two seats from my right
And Lord, Lord, Lord
She was alright

Oh she was so damned beautiful that she'd warm a winter's frost
But she looked long past lonely, and well nigh kinda lost
Now I'm not much of a mover or a pick-em-up easy guy
But I decided to glide on over and give her one good try
And Lord, Lord, Lord
She was worth a try

Tongue-tied like a school boy
I stammered out some words
But it did not really matter much 'cause I don't think she heard
She just looked clear on through me to a space back in my head
And it shamed me into silence, as quietly she said

'If you want me to come with you that's all right with me
'Cause I know I'm going nowhere and anywhere's a better place to be
Anywhere's a better place to be'

I drove her to my boarding house and I took her up to my room
And I went to turn on the only light to brighten up the gloom
But she said, "Please leave the light off, oh, I don't mind the dark"
And as her clothes all tumbled 'round her, I could hear my heart

The moonlight shown upon her as she lay back in my bed
It was the kind of scene I only had imagined in my head
I just could not believe it, to think that she was real
And as I tried to tell her she said, "Shhhh, I know just how you feel

And if you want to come here with me then that's all right with me
'Cause I've been oh so lonely, lovin' someone is a better way to be
Anywhere's a better place to be"

When the morning came so swiftly I held her in my arms
She slept like a baby, snug and safe from harm
I did not want to share her or dare to break the mood
So before she woke I went out to buy us both some food
I came back with my paper bag to find that she was gone
She'd left a six word letter saying, 'It's time that I moved on'

You know the waitress took her bar rag
And she wiped it across her eyes
And as she spoke her voice came out as something like a sigh
She said, "I wish that I was beautiful or that you were halfway blind
And I wish I weren't so goddamned fat, I wish that you were mine
And I wish that you'd come with me when I leave for home
For we both know all about emptiness and livin' all alone"

And the little man
Looked at the empty glass in his hand
And he smiled a crooked grin
He said, "I guess I'm out of gin
And I know we both have been so lonely

And if you want me to come with you that's all right with me
'Cause I know I'm goin' nowhere and anywhere's a better place to be'"

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Uber won't kill the taxi industry, they're hanging themselves.

Even though I drive for Uber, I really do feel for the legitimate "career" cabbies. The ones who work at serving the public, take pride in their vehicle and a job well done. Have invested in their career and thought there were by-laws in place to protect their livelihood. At times I know it may seem like my description leaves most cabbies out, but I really do think most are good, hard working family men. The problem is, as an industry, they have no leadership. The few city councillors that have an interest in their cause are probably the worst they could pick. If they hope, as an industry, to positively move forward then they need to hire a lobbyist. Someone to champion their cause at all governmental levels. Develop a strategy. Clearly, if today's taxi strike proves anything, it's that they have no clue how to save their own industry. There is room in Toronto for both Uber and Taxis but, at this rate, Uber won't kill the taxi industry, they're hanging themselves.

Monday, December 7, 2015

Hurt Me If You Can

Some hurts don't go away.
They start bad, and they stay bad.
You don't learn to live with the pain. Ever.
You live with it because you have to...period.
Staying alive is the only thing that triumphs over some hurts.
So you live. Not through it but with it.
Every minute of every hour of every day.
The hurt is always there.
It becomes your comfort.
You hurt and you know you are alive.
You know you have beat the hurt.
You know you can live in spite of it.
You know you are better because of it.
You know hurt and you know you are stronger. Invincible.
So go ahead. Take your best shot.
Hurt me if you can.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Toronto at Night


Multiple long exposure images were merged to create the deep colours in this final image. Shot taken from Broadview Ave side of Riverdale Park http://bitly.com/1QeLv6j

Sparkle Swan


I don't usually shoot into the sun but I liked the way it played off the water and goose. http://bitly.com/1OpF4h6

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Monday, October 26, 2015

The Red Tree


The Red Tree. Fall in The Beaches, Toronto, Ontario, Canada http://bitly.com/1MPUcOV

Sunday, February 8, 2015

It's Your Road



Lone woman walks along the Whitby Waterfront Trail as storm clouds loom. http://bitly.com/1709aEO

Monday, February 2, 2015

Deserted Platform



Stopped at Rouge Hill GO Station showing a lone empty bench on a deserted eastbound platform with Lake Ontario in the background. http://bitly.com/1Dwgn9z

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Enough with the Pictures!



Abby is happy about posing for a few pictures. She's giving me one final "evil eye" here before finally lumbering off. http://bitly.com/1JocLrU

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Sunrise on the Rocks



Sun rising over Lake Ontario shoreline near Port Union Waterfront Trail, Toronto, Ontario http://bitly.com/1As4ej6

Friday, January 16, 2015

TTC Union Station



This shot shows the construction still underway at TTC Yonge Northbound platform and Union Station in Toronto. http://bitly.com/1AqckZv

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Graffiti Tunnel



Graffiti art adorns the walls of the tunnel that leads under the train tracks from Port Union Village Commons to the Scarborough Waterfront Trail on Lake Ontario. Toronto, Canada, http://bitly.com/14HdiZh

Featured Post

Toronto Voyageurs Hockey Club • MTHL 1971

Not sure of the exact year. Could be 1970 or 1972. But that's me in the 2nd row, 2nd in from the right. My Dad (John Rodkin) coached, he...

Popular Posts