Well we packed his bass and his guitar, his notebooks and pens, his charity shop shirts and many pairs of black jeans, a pot and a wok, two plates (in case I break one), a two pint cup and forks and knives foraged from our kitchen and of course 'lappie' which is his window to the world, even his football boots. Did we forget anything? I found his brush in the bag we brought home. I txt him, any excuse, the reply, 'its only a brush...' did I expect him to buy a new one? 'I'll get it next time I'm home...' and there is was, 'next time I'm home...' Florence Rd is still his home - well its only been a day (and what a day - and he has some great housemates) but that's a house (University Halls actually - 6 of them share his kitchen space - though there are 12 in the corridor - could be some party) and here is home, here is home. Its hard to know how to feel - very proud of course but a bit of a wrench at the same time. Its why we bring them up, to let them move on, to help them to move on, to bring more good people into the world where they can do good things. Its the right thing to do - but I love this picture of Dan, still clinging to the kite strings on a deserted beach in Wales. He's a great traveling companion. Neruda wrote:
Don't go far off, not even for a day, because -- because -- I don't know how to say it: a day is long
and I will be waiting for you, as in an empty station
when the trains are parked off somewhere else, asleep.
Last night there was one of those tribute shows - it was Springsteen's turn - and actually it was quite superb. I have always like this post 9/11 song, but the way Zac Brown and Mavis Staples do this with the Levite choir, ooh, sent goosebumps down this old spine - let it roll until the choir kick in. Dan didn't watch it - he was out at a party (of course). By the way, I have no idea how long this clip will stay up - not long would be my guess:
