"She was just trying to hone her craft"
The two were exercising the gift for gab
Melba Anne and Dina talking about Bev
Down at the coffee cafe
Madison Park Seattle
"I was aghast at her for dumping on the singer
No need to infect a great Saturday night
With so much negativity
"I mean way back then
I didn't listen to her very closely
She was just another blonde from overseas
That some corporate record company bigwig
Propped up as the next big thing in the 1970s
Admittedly annoying with hit after hit
With that thin voice too much too soon
"But then I recently came upon her greatest hits CD
Asn I said I don't know
I'm up for something retro
So I took it home got good and comfortable
Saturday night alone for a change
Yeah right don't laugh
More like alone every Saturday night
Anyway
Saturday night alone
And I wasn't about to infect it
With so much negativity
"So I drew a bath
Lit about 100 candles
Poured a decaf
Kept it black
But with one ice cube
Popped her tunes in the CD player
Sunk down in the suds
Only my head
Popping up like Flipper talking to his friends on the dock
And gave her a go
"What a surprise
More angst between the lines
More depth if you cared to listen
More worldly-wise nuance she must have snuck in
When the corporate record company bigwig
Wasn't listening
Or more to the point you know
Was looking more at her
At her assets
Then really listening to her
If you know what I mean
I mean she was only trying to hone her craft
For crying out loud"
The two were exercising the gift for gab
Melba Anne and Dina talking about Bev
Down at the coffee cafe
Madison Park Seattle
"I know what you mean Melba Anne I know"
Dina felt compelled to defend the third a little
Gently though
Cause she generally agreed
That Bev had been too harsh on the singer
And on Melba Anne
Before she had to run off before finishing her coffee
She was always running off before finishing her coffee
"Bev is coming from a different school of thought
One that never looks closer than the crowd's opinion
She follows the concensus
Plays it safe
And it robs her of some judgment
It obviosuly robbed her being able to recognize
Last Saturday night
The space your head was in
Afer the bath
When she just burst in
Unannounced
Caught you enthralled
Brought you down a notch"
"I'll say
Down a notch
Down three notches"
"But I mean I remember the singer you're talking about
I always thought she was just veneer
But now I'm curious
Letting some her songs play over in my head now
Now I'm curious
I'll have to borrow your CD
Give a listen
Maybe give her the bath treatment and all
Hey maybe that's what Bev really needs
The bath treatment
Yeah, maybe we could be stumbling on a new therapy line here
A new treatment spa sensation for Saturday night relaxation
Music of the 70s rebathed in bubbles, candles and decaf
Hey don't laugh
That's how the last three gazillionaires got their start
Taking some crazy idea like that
And running with it"
Melba and Dina were execrising the gift for gab
Talking about Bev and everything
Down at the coffee cafe
Madison Park Seattle
For Sketches
By Denis J. Kelly
May 16, 2012
