When Story and Music Collide (c)
By Michael Casey
Now as usual I did not know I'd be writing this, but I was listening to Clapton, and one track brought forth a memory. Then I had a thought if ever I finish Tears for a Butcher, the sequel to The Butcher The Baker and The Undertaker, then they'll be a Prayer Scene, and if ever it came to be filmed then Clapton would be in the Pulpit playing as Life Saving prayers are said. And it probably won't be finished, another 600 pages of Old Forge and Singing Anvil, so you'll be spared, but you do know about my dream of a speed typist etc.
Now I'm going to STOP for a Kdrama right now, but I'll come back and finish writing this, so remember the title and meet me back here in 9 hours time, Midnight UK time and it'll be ready. I could have had a poncy title for the story but long words are hard to spell, and simpletons like me, might not understand what I'm on about.
Why are A level questions all poncified, as I'm discovering with my small daughter
studying beside me. Enough I have 2 new Kdramas in my sights. I love the comedy and tears in the stories.
to be finished later, now for lamb chops
Ok, it's tomorrow 14:20 Saturday
I did not return like MacArthur, but I'm here now
So the piece will run differently, as a new driver is in the seat. That's what it is like when if I resume instead of doing everything in the flow. I've just reminded myself too, In Tears for a Butcher one of the stories concerns Ike's driver and another hoard of whisky found. I'll have fun and games with that story if ever I finish it and the sequel. I did want Shep Smith to feature in the story too, as he is on holiday in UK, in Old Forge and Singing Anvil and happens to be in the bar when the new hoard appears, along with Ike's driver. But that's for the Future.
You see as I write I nearly always have background music, especially now with Tinnitus in the ascendancy, which means very often I type a word and the exact same word is sung simultaneously as I type. I also think just how neat, as you folks speak, if I had this music playing when the movie or tv show of my words is made. Ok. I'm deluded, but you have to dream and hope, otherwise you are dead as wood. Hence yesterday, if you can remember that far back, I do tend to distract. So yesterday I was thinking about the power of prayer. You spend most nights awake as you battle Tinnitus, your mind does wonder everywhere, the good, the bad, the ugly thoughts everywhere. Then sleep comes, well for 2 hours anyway.
Ok so you can see my life, and are glad you are not me. But to the point, music is so much better than words, so Taylor Swift et al will always be better than me. And taller too, which is good when she comes around to do the cleaning and high dusting at my house, but that's another story, haven't you caught up yet?
So in Tears for a Butcher at the Finale, maybe 500 pages in Big Sid will be shot while being a Raging Bull, and saving many lives, but shot three times at point blank range. So Mrs Murphy whose life was saved, and her grandchild's, and her daughter in law not to mention an unborn 2nd grandchild and the Post Office staff, well how is she going to react.
While Big Sid is on the operating table at Dudley Road hospital, because it was the closest, and a team of Texas surgeons happened to be in Birmingham for a conference, the lead surgeon is still wearing his cowboy boots and hat as he operates. Mrs Murphy is over the road in Saint Patricks. This was my own local church by the way.
So, do you think Mrs Murphy will allow the Devil get his way? Ok, so obviously there will be music, and that's where Clapton comes in. He's be playing as she's praying, he'll be playing as Texas does its best for Big Sid the Butcher. Blood and Prayer everywhere. Now what Clapton would play, how would I know, I'm just a boring writer, Clapton will be playing God. For Music is God's breath. Just a little challenge for Eric if ever my story gets written, and then made into a film.
How would you play God, Eric. What notes would you be, Tears in Heaven, and Mrs Murphy gone past madness, it was all my fault, it was all my fault racing through her mind. Over and over again. Only music can speak those words, only bolts of lightning, as the rain comes down as the rain comes down, on Saint Patricks and on Texas's best operating in Dudley Rd Hospital.
Now that's the scene. Mrs Murphy always sits in the 2nd bench on the left by the radiator. But not now, but not today. She storms to the altar rail, as if receiving Communion. But the Pain, the Despair, the Guilt is too much.,
Jesus, she screams. She sighs, she screams Jesus again.
The Press are at the church door. The butcher's dog is clawing at Jesus' feet on the cross outside the church door. The dog is pining.
Jesus, screams Mrs Murphy again from her spot in front of the altar.
Doreen a black nurse from over the road enters
and kneels to left of Mrs Murphy
Asha an Indian nurse enters and kneels to the right beside Mrs Murphy
Jesus
Mary
Joseph
And Saint Patrick the porters scream too
The journalists can feel it
Now it begins
The engine of prayer revs up. Like Lewis Hamilton on the grid
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, an Saint Patrick over and over again
The the Rosary begins at warp factor 9, no time to build up speed
Just slap it down warp factor 9
And on Clapton plays, as people play and surgeons earn their pay
And on Clapton play, and on Clapton plays
With almighty God himself throwing down thunderbolts
I'll stop there I have yet to write the tale, I have yet to find that speed typist
So all you'll know is what's on the page today
But I hope you can imagine how it will feel, and Music is feeling
And if I write it right and Clapton does in fact play
Then God will push Eric out of the way and pick up the guitar himself
And that is when Story and Music Collide
20/Feb/2021 3pm
