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96-years young

When recently I stopped by to visit with Charlie Johnson, I found out that he will celebrate his 96th birthday on January 14th.  That gave me a chance to wish him an advanced Happy Birthday!

I was at Charlie's house because Marcia told Vickie that Charlie told her, that he wanted me to video tape another recitation.  The "grapevine" is alive and well in our little town. 

I phoned Charlie to schedule a time to drop by, but that was a mistake because he has a hard time dealing with phone voices because he is hard-of-hearing.  Lucky for me, a friend was there and they relayed and amplified the message so a time to drop by that afternoon was scheduled.

Charlie had guests when I got to his house, but he and they assured me that too many visitors is never a problem.

After I assured the other people in the living room that I would not video tape them, Charlie got cranked up and I got behind the camera.  The video is below.  For me, it is a precious moment in time.  I just wish more people would find their "Charlie" and capture that which someday will be gone forever.

Charlie does not understand the technology of digital cameras,  email, or the World Wide Web; but he does understand the need to conserve the past, to teach this generation, and to leave a legacy for future generations.    I am on board with that! 

Charlie wanted to recite a few lines of a song about Casey Jones.  I never ask why.  I just hit the "record" button.


This song version is the original exactly as published in 1909.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Come all you rounders if you want to hear
a story about a brave Engineer
Casey Jones was the Rounders name
On an six eight wheeler boys he won his fame
The caller called Casey at a half past four
He kissed his wife at the station door
He mounted to the cabin with his orders in his hand
and he took his farewell trip to that promised land.

Casey Jones! mounted to the cabin
Casey Jones with his orders in his hand
Casey Jones mounted to the cabin
and he took his farewell trip to that promised land.

Put in your water and shovel in your coal
Put your head out the window watch them drivers roll
I'll run her till she leaves the rail
Cause I'm eight hour late with that western mail
He looked at his watch and his watch was slow
He looked at the water and the water was low
He turned to the Fireman and he said we're going to reach Frisco
but we'll all be dead

Casey Jones! going to reach Frisco
Casey Jones but we'll all be dead
Casey Jones going to reach Frisco
we're going to reach Frisco but we'll all be dead.

Casey pulled up that Reno hill
he tooted for the crossing with a awful shrill
The switchman knew by the engines moan
That the man at the throttle was Casey Jones
He pulled up with-in two miles of the place
number four stared him right in the face
He turned to the Fireman said Boy you'd better jump
cause there's two Locomotives thats a going to bump

Casey Jones! two locomotives
Casey Jones thats a going to bump
Casey Jones two locomotives
there's two locomotives thats a going to bump.

Casey said just before he died
theres two more roads that I'd like to ride
Fireman said what could that be
The Southern Pacific and the Santa Fe
Mrs. Jones sat on her bed a sighing
just received a message that Casey was dying
Said go to bed children and hush your crying
cause you got another papa on the Salt Lake line.

Casey Jones! got another papa
Mrs. Casey Jones on that Salt Lake Line
Mrs. Casey Jones got another papa
and you've got another Papa on that Salt Lake Line.

 

After the song video, we sat and talked and Charlie decided to continue about another topic so I turned on the camera and went along.


No two visits with Charlie are identical, but they all begin and end on the couch in his living room. 

 

 



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