The Rhythm Ballad Maker

          You know, I was sitt'n here think'n and reflect'n — I was reflect'n 'bout all my travels and 'bout all the folks along the way — and 'bout how we got to make'n all that hand-clapp'n, foot-stomp'n energy-music, and you know what it feels like? It feels like — all my friends — you are all — sitt'n in this very room with me — here right now! There ain't no distance separate us! There ain't no time and space between us! You are all here with me right in this room — and we gonna carry on like we always do! Yes indeed!

          And I'm sitt'n here and you and I we're sitt'n in this room and think'n and reflect'n — 'bout all the old times back in the days — before we really knew what was go'n on — and I recollect how I was a young clean-shaver of a white boy live'n in a fancy apartment and drive'n around in sharp automobiles — I was live'n in a well-to-do suburb where there was no rip-offs or murder or crime to speak of — and I made my money sell'n books from door to door — they was encyclopedias — that's what they was — and I made lots of money sell'n them books — and I made so much money I was buy'n all kinds of appliances and hi-def t.v. and tires for my auto-mo-bile and then I'd always be runn'n 'round with two or three women and we'd be hitt'n the bars and spend'n my paycheck on drinks and cover charge and tips for the waiter if you please —

          And then — someth'n happened to that economy — because it got harder and harder to sell those books and competition was gett'n tougher and tougher and customers were slipp'n through my fingers and my boss was go'n frantic — he was go'n to a psychiatrist on Fridays and that boss of mine — he was gett'n all mixed up and kind-of go'n out of his head and eventually he went bonkers and had to be replaced — and they sent down another boss but this guy was more of the hard-nosed variety and he used to lecture me all the time and wave my paycheck in front of my face —

          Eventually — I took to hitt'n the bars more frequently — and I never really did quit that salesman's job — I just kinda let it slip right out of my hands and I took to hang'n out on the "Street" more and more with all the pimps and whores and alkies and crack heads and by and by — I just let that salesman's job slip away — and pretty soon they was come'n to take my auto-mo-bile and come'n to take the hi-def t.v. and come'n to take all my fancy appliances I bought on credit — but I didn't care — because I was popp'n pills and snort'n dope and act'n real cool and my landlord — he was scream'n for his rent!

          Then I got mixed up with some shady deals out on the "Street" — and you know — that "Street" ain't no place for a clean young-shaver with just a dab of beard on his face — that "Street" was no place for a young boy clean and straight and raised up in a brick split level home in the sticks — and the people of the "Street" — they was BAD!

          So the next thing I knew— I was lay'n in the back alley and my head was splitt'n and my pockets rolled for dough! It was in the middle of the night and all I had for company was cats and rats! and I was try'n to stand up and shake the mud off my shoes and then there I was — slump'n right back down on the ground again!

          And now as I look back—I think that was the first time — that was the time I began see'n the old man — as I lay there with my head throbb'n like it was ready to bust — I reck'n I looked up and saw him — he was walk'n under a streetlamp — he was just a vague sorta figure walk'n down the sidewalk and it was so dark and misty in that alley in the middle of the night —

          I noticed the old man had a peculiar way of walk'n — I mean he just shuffled along under the streetlight — he kinda limped along like his feet was glued to the sidewalk! and I heard this funny old man sing'n — I heard him humm'n to himself clear down the alleyway — and the tune he was humm'n sounded a little like this:

"A doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-di-ID-it!
a doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-di-ID-it!
a doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-di-ID-it!
a doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-di-ID-it!
a doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-di-ID-it!
a doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-di-ID-it!..."

          ...and then the old man disappeared in the darkness and his funny little tune just kinda melted away and I was think'n — aww — just some bum drunk on cough syrup — and I was think'n I'd be doi'n the same thing next chance I'd get because I was stone broke!

          I recollect I found the "Street" more and more to my like'n than the 'burbs or the split level homes or gett'n a job in a bank — here was life! Here was feel'n! Passion! Ex-cite-ment! Here was people stripp'n down to the raw naked emotion and tell'n it like it is!
          I got a job in a supermarket nearby and a room in a dingy room'n house — and one day as I was sweep'n down the sidewalk— it was afternoon I think it was — and I happened to glance down the "Street" and there was that old man walk'n along again!

          This time he was carry'n a guitar case with him and he was still humm'n that little tune — and he was walk'n along like his shoes was stuck to the sidewalk! and as he was walk'n along — a strange thing was happen'n to the "Street" — everything was gett'n quiet and peaceful and all the people were stopp'n dead in their tracks — and all the jukeboxes stopped play'n and even all the kids stopped yell'n at each other — it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop!

            I was stand'n there on the sidewalk and I was lean'n on my broom and my head was in the clouds and then I heard somebody yell'n —

"HEY BOY! YOU EVER GOI'N SWEEP THAT WALK?"

          As I turned around I saw my boss and I could tell by the look on his face that he knew someth'n was happen'n over in the barbershop — and it must've been someth'n interest'n because my boss — he was grinn'n from ear to ear — so I asked him who was that old man walk'n down the "Street" and his answer was —

"THAT ol' man? You mean to tell me you dont know who THAT ol' man is—sonny? THAT'S Ol' Gumfoot! Yessir...Ol'...Gumfoot..."

          ...and I replied I could see why he was called that — because he was walk'n along like his shoes was stuck to the sidewalk and my boss went on to say —

"Ol' Gumfoot — He been pick'n that guitar in the barbershop — He been pick'n it for a LONG time! Lord — don't know how long he been goi'n in there..."

          ...and my ears picked up when I heard that Ol' Gumfoot was a guitar picker and I surmised that all the folks was goi'n in there—and that he was goi'n to play —and HE was GOI'N TO PLAY?? and suddenly — fireworks was goi'n off inside my head and I just HAD to get over to that barbershop and I promised my boss I'd sweep down the market inside and out when I got back — if I could just cut over there a minute — and my boss — he was feel'n real generous and said it was alright —

          So I ran over to the barbershop and peeked in the window and I saw the customers in their chairs gett'n all fixed up — and I walked through the door kinda casual and look'n around the place and feel'n a little embarrassed with my carry-out uniform on — but nobody was pay'n me any attention so I walked to the back and there was a dice game goi'n on — and over in the corner — there was Ol' Gumfoot sitt'n look'n like a king and tune'n a twelve-string guitar!

          But then I saw his companions and I felt scared because they was all-of-a-sudden come'n toward me — but the next thing I knew I was shake'n hands with all of 'em — I even shook hands with the tan-skin ladies — and I was blush'n but the tall burly fellow had his arm over my shoulder — and everybody was be'n real friendly like we was family and they was introduce'n me like I was an old friend of theirs — and we sat down at the table and I was introduced to Gumfoot — and the old fellow looked me in the eye and then he said —

"What you come here for — sonna-boy?"

          ...and I just had a lump in my throat and I was stammer'n and try'n to say — "Well...I...I just...wanted to hear you...play..."

          And everyone roared with laughter and the old fellow's face lit up and his gnarly hands was strumm'n the twelve-string guitar and we all sat down around the table as Gumfoot started pitch'n his rhythms — and Gumfoot picked out a rhythm on his guitar that only the old-timers knew how to play — because it was a slow and easy and light and swing'n kind of rhythm just natural for toe-tapp'n and finger-popp'n and this is the melody Gumfoot sang as he played...

"Now gather round everybody in the room...gather round
While I run-it-on down...
What it means to me...
To be feel'n this way...

I said I heard some music other day...
It make me feel so good...
Like you know it could...
I said it make me feel deep down insi-ide...
Like you know it would...
Like you know it would..."

          ...and Gumfoot cut loose a chorus on his guitar and all the people in the barbershop were finger-popp'n and even the tan-skin ladies were toe-tapp'n — the folks they was beat'n on chairs and tables and when it came time for Gumfoot's melody they must've all known where to come in right with him because sure enough they all started sing'n...

"WE SAID WE HEARD SOME MUSIC OTHER DAY...
IT MAKE US FEEL SO GOOD..
LIKE YOU KNOW IT WOULD...
IT MAKE US FEEL SO GOOD...
LIKE YOU KNOW IT WOULD...
LIKE YOU KNOW IT WOULD..."

          ...and the barber put his brush back in the lather and the poker players raked their money out of the pot and the dice players stood up with their eyes wide open and Gumfoot's fingers were tickl'n the strings of his guitar in a slow but steady rhythm — and he was sway'n back and forth with a gentle sway'n rock'n feel'n and so were all his friends and all his companions — we was rock'n right along with him...

"WE SAID WE HEARD SOME MUSIC ANY-WAY...
IT MAKE US FEEL SO GOOD..
LIKE YOU KNOW IT WOULD...
IT MAKE US FEEL SO GOOD...
LIKE YOU KNOW IT WOULD...
LIKE YOU KNOW IT WOULD..."

          ...and just as I was feel'n good and sway'n rock'n with all of Gumfoot's companions — I felt a hand on my shoulder — and as I turned back to see who it was — I saw my boss! He was kinda grin'n at me — he had his hat on tipped to one side — I guess he knew all 'bout these barbershop get-togethers — he was hang'n out quite a lot his own-self — but that hand of his was gripp'n my shoulder and it was plenty firm and tell'n me a lot of things — it was tell'n me to get back to work — so I got myself up and hurried out of there and back to the job of sweep'n out the supermarket —

          So I swept compound for the rest of the day all the way to the back of the building — and it was sundown by the time I got all the way there and I was the last one in the store — and after I'd cleaned up and punched out and locked up — I was stand'n on the "Street" and neon signs was flash'n and I looked down the "Street" and 'bout three blocks away there went Gumfoot and his friends — they must've been head'n somewhere out back of town — and I was goi'n to get some food but doggone! I wasn't in no mood for any barbeque! I wanted to hear some more of Gumfoot's music and find out what his game was!

          Now as I recall — there was a long steep hill out back of town — I mean the "Street" curved around a big hill and just before you got to the hill you came upon the dump and just behind the dump was a woods of pine and spruce and there was a muddy road wind'n through the trees — and long 'bout sundown who did I see walk'n up that road but that old fellow and his friends — they was walk'n real slow right up that road and right through the woods — and I was really hooked on that music and I started follow'n 'em up the hill — even after they disappeared behind a clump of trees halfway through the woods I kept on follow'n 'em — I figured they must've decided to turn into that old miner's shack up there behind the pines — I know because I followed 'em and when I got that far up the road through the trees I was all out of breath — but I could see a cabin all lit up and sitt'n in a hollow —and then I noticed a cigarette lit up — I reck'n someone must've been stand'n right between me and the shack — and as I got a little closer I noticed a rather short fellow stand'n in a clear'n smok'n a cigarette and somehow he must've known I was come'n because he was wait'n for me — and as I got near I saw his face in the moonlight — it was my boss! and he recognized me and waved me over and when I got to the clear'n he said...

"I knew you was come'n..."

          So I asked him..."How'd you know I was come'n?" and this fellow just laughed and said to me in a rather insist'n way...

"...The tune! You didn't get to finish the tune!"

          ...and I was ask'n him more and more questions but he just kept insist'n that you just didn't get up and walk away from one of Gumfoot's tunes — he called 'em "rhythm-ballads" — you don't just get up in the middle of a rhythm-ballad — ain't no two ways about it — and when we entered the shack on the hill — I reck'n I was shown the same friendliness as I was shown in the barbershop — and everybody was shake'n hands with me again and even Ol' Gumfoot put his arm around me and said he was glad to see me —

          Then my boss sat down on the floor in the middle of a pile of bells and gongs and tubes and things—and the tall black fellow was tinker'n with a tree of more gongs and rattles and paraphernalia — and one of the shorter fellows was finger'n a shiny brass trumpet—he was finger'n the valves of that trumpet and suddenly he took a real deep breath and blew on the mouthpiece with his cheeks all puffed up and the air came out of the bell of the trumpet with a melodious blast that shook the rafters and sound'n like —

"HUMmm-mm-mm..."

          ...and he did it on a higher note and all the rest of the rhythm-ballad-make'n folks came in with him—

"Humm-mm-mm...Hummm-mm-mm..."

          ...and the jam session was gett'n under way! and someone handed me a tambourine and she had a twinkle in her eye as she handed me that tambourine — and all the other folks was come'n in with rattles and gourds and drums and whistles and bottles and all the other things they was beat'n came on in — and another fellow had a home-made 'cello with an over-sized sound box and neck crooked back and he was bow'n the strings and make'n a drone'n sound like —

"HUMmm-mmm-mmm...HUMmm-mmm-mmm..."

           You know, that drone music gave me a vision of all the people in the world pick'n up instruments and play'n 'em in a grand response — and all the folks was come'n in with drone'n chant'n vibrate'n pulsate'n sounds and make'n earth-sounds and bird-sounds and animal-sounds and noises of wind and rivers and sounds was rise'n in my ears and through them all I could hear the voice of Gumfoot sing'n his rhythm-ballad — only now he was ride'n on top of that jam session and play'n with such energy that I'd never seen an old fellow like him play before —

"Now gather round everybody in the room gather round...
While I run it on do-o-own...
What it means to me...to be...
Feel'n free...
I said I heard some music other day...
It make me feel so good...
Like you know it would...

"All the people in the room and I'm tell'n you...
I heard the juke-box play'n it was say'n someth'n
'Bout a new day...
Said I heard some music anyway...
It make me feel so good...
Like you know it would...
Like you know it would...

"Now brother-sister everywhere in the whole wide world...
C'mon and stand up with me and run it on do-o-own...
What it means t'be...
Feel'n this way...
I said I heard some music anyway...
It make me feel so good...
Like you know it would...
Like you know it would..."

          ...and all the people came in with him and play'n vibrate'n rhythm and melody sounds — they was make'n energy-sounds — they was say'n...

"IT MAKE US FEEL SO FI-I-INE...
LIKE YOU KNOW IT WOULD...
LIKE YOU KNOW IT WOULD...
IT MAKE US FEEL SO FI-I-INE...
LIKE YOU KNOW IT WOULD...
LIKE YOU KNOW IT WOULD..."

          ...they was reverbrate'n generate'n a new kind of soul-stirr'n energy-jam session and BHIM! BHAM! said the skins of drums and JONG! JING! the bells chimed in — and rattles and gourds and strings and they was hammer'n HUMmm-mm-mm! BHIM! BHAM! BOAM! in my ear and all night long and I was feel'n so fine like the people dance'n in the room — I was make'n like the drone'n pulsate'n rhythmic melody sound'n SHIM-A-FLAM-A-DHIM-A-DHUM on my tambourine I was make'n energy feel'n 'bout a new day like that tambourine was made for me! and feel'n HUMmm-mm aloud like a vibrate'n string'n drink'n JONG! JING! like a vision of BHIM! BHAM! pick'n pluck'n yell'n YAAY! the reality music make'n loud and clear like everybody in the world was play'n night and day —