kenderstest

4 comments:

kender said...

Charley was like a Dad to me, and a best friend. He was one hell of a musician, with a voice that could sing down the angels and sweet talk the devil to submission. He was very well loved and about 400 people attended his wake and there wasn't a dry eye in the place.

He taught me a deep love of history, even deeper than I had before I met him, and he was the reason I truly found my heritage and my path in life.

Now don't get me wrong, he was far from perfect. He was notoriously lazy and had a knack for simply asking people to do something for him and they almost always would. He had that charm about him ya' know? He was constantly late for everything.

But nobody ever really got mad at him for it, at least not for long. Except his wife Jean. She got mad at him alot, and is still mad at that fat bastard for dropping dead on his way to get her from work that saturday morning two years ago. It was February the eighth. That day is, of course, seared into my memory and words cannot possibly describe the loss I feel. I could write for days straight and barely scratch the surface.

Two years. Sometimes that can seem like an eternity.

Sometimes though two years can fly by in the blink of an instance.

This time it has done both.

Alot of people miss you Charley "Ahungus Mor MacGowan".

Here's to you my friend: May a sweet wind blow across your face 'til we walk the green fields again.

Ah.

So if you read this, and ye' knew Charley, raise a toast on the 8th. Call me, you may even catch Jean and I more or less sober and we can share tales of the old scoundrel and have a laugh. Charley would have loved that.

When my son was born Charley was as proud as possible, and wrote a lullaby for him. (He wrote, and recorded, quite a few songs) I used to sing it to him at bedtime. I haven't been able to sing that song since, but I can listen to it, though it does bring tears to my eyes. How our friend, and Charleys music partner Dennis got through it to record it is beyond me.

Below are the words.

Go to sleep my little one
The sandman's comin' soon
Peaceful sleep and wonderous dreams
Are on their way for you
Dream the dreams of innocence
And love all around
Go to sleep and dream a little while

Dream of kites and dragon flights
And sunny afternoons
With all the joy you'll bring to us
You'll still grow up too soon
Dream the dreams of innocence
And love all around
Go to sleep and
Dream a little while

Go to sleep my little one
The sandman's comin' soon
Peaceful sleep and wonderous dreams
Are on their way for you
Dream the dreams of innocence
And love all around
Go to sleep and dream a little while

February 3, 2005 at 9:04 PM

Writergray said...

To many words, so much time. All I can really say is I miss him so much it hurts.

February 4, 2005 at 12:19 PM

Lucie said...

Thank you, Kender, for the beautiful thoughts on Charley. As do you, I miss my lifeline very much. I know he belonged to Jean, but he was a big help to me when Lee passed on. I'm sure the two of them are jamming and having a good old time. Neither one of them should have died so young, but oh, well, such is life.

February 10, 2005 at 8:38 AM

Shaunden (Charley's boy) said...

Well, at least he was like a dad to someone. Sorry, but I'm still alittle bitter about the whole thing. Before his passing, I only ever blamed him for not being there for me. Since he passed, I don't know who to blame. Maybe him, maybe my mother, maybe me, who knows. I dunno. Too many thoughts in my head to talk anymore. If any one has questions of me my email that I check regularly (I'm job-hunting) is: shaundensmith@yahoo.com

February 20, 2005 at 5:28 AM