I don't know if this'll be a short message or a long message but Arlo it's something I need to say to you and your family.
1st let me say that my dear late Mom bought me the 45 of City of New Orleans/Days are Short when it came out way back when and me , thinking it'd be cooler to sing the b-sides rather than the hits, used Days are Short (along with one of my 1st "me songs") to entertain my high school graduation crowd at the ceremony (of which I myself did not participate). But that's another story and not the real reason I'm writing ...
I took my 14yr old son to see you last night at the State Theatre in Ithaca and we had a blast...let me tell you what make's me and my son having a blast so special... I alone raised my boy from the age of 7mos. (his age not mine) until I got married 4 yrs ago. This marriage inherited me 3 new daughters that my wife already had and new son that we made ourselves.When my real working job transferred me to Ithaca (from Canada) last year my oldest son decided to give livin' with his mom a whirl which meant that he would stay in Canada while I and his siblings would move to the States. Well Arlo within six mos he started doing things that weren't entirely conducive to great health and well-being and after a few of these episodes I finally realized what I already knew and swooped back to Canada and brought him here to Ithaca to reaquaint himself with the glories and tribulations of living with me and the rest of the family. As I'm sure you can imagine he was not a happy camper. It's been a very hard road with him and this is why I'm writing to thank you..
You see Arlo...I took my boy to see your show and for the 1st time in a long time we were DAD and SON ('think courtship of Eddies Father theme song). For the first time in a long time my boy and I were laughing together and singing together and talkin' together and I pretty much shed tears of joy through your entire show. I've been writing and performing songs for 25yrs and while I had a pretty good little mini career back in Canada doin' just that I have yet to get wet at it here in Ithaca...my son has been writing songs and playing piano and guitar as well. Seeing you and your family playin' together lit a spark back into me and my boy to the point where I'm thinkin' "Damn that Arlo's a lucky fellow what with his kids right there playin' with him...bein' together all the time ...I'll bet thing's have always been smooth sailin' and nothin' ever goes wrong"..and my boys thinkin' "Damn that Sara Lee and Abe are lucky kid's what with the old man bein' so cool and not bustin' there chops every 5 seconds.....I'll bet thing's have always been smooth sailin' and nothin' ever goes wrong"....I said I didn't know how long this was gonna be...
Anyway, I loved your show, I was floored by your daughter and son-in-law and son (I think my boy thought that Abe was the coolest) and I was paticularly intrigued by your Dad's "There'll be no Church Tonight" (has that been recorded?...I really need to learn that one). But most importantly, you and your fammily gave my son and I something that we most desperatly needed when we needed it the most. Thank you all so much for that and God Bless you all so very much.

<center><FONT COLOR="#000080">--- Edited 1 times, lastly by Knockinlostjohn on Mar 25, 2003 ---</FONT></center>