One year ago today I
wrote about how it feels to be leaving for the summer, something we've done
now for fourteen years. As much as we
look forward to returning to Connecticut for a stay on our boat, our
summer home, it seems to become more challenging with each passing year --
just the logistics of packing, preparing the house for the kind of summer weather
for which Florida is notorious, and, then, a 1,250 mile drive up infamous I95. And each year we do this, we are another year
older, with the strength of youth receding.
Dozens of windows and sliding glass doors have to covered.
This year we installed roll down shutters on our porch, neatly tying in our
flat roof to the rest of the structure and eliminating the need to cover the
three large sliding doors from the porch to the house. Nonetheless, there are still 359 bolts and 319
wing nuts that have to be installed (and disassembled) each year for these
coverings (I know, I counted them!). I put
up a few each day until they are done. When everything is in place, the house
is like a fortress but hurricanes such as Andrew had its way with some of the
best structures.
Then, our boat, the 'Reprise', has to be prepared for the
summer and for storage. The weekend
before, we attended a Grady rendezvous at Munyon Island, one of our favorite
nearby places. Some forty people were
there on a beautiful Sunday afternoon for traditional hamburgers and hot dogs,
provided by the Grady Club, and everyone brought a side to share. Makes one wonder why we are leaving at all. Two days later, I ran the boat south on Lake
Worth to a ramp where I was met by the dealer in Riviera Beach, and we hauled
the boat onto their trailer, for storage on the dealer's lot for the summer.
Going north means leaving my piano behind. I gave a number of performances at retirement
homes again this year, first at the Waterford, and then a regular monthly
concert at La Posada. As our departure
date nears, I found myself playing some of the more plaintive pieces, one in
particular, the not very well known, but the metaphorically meaningful (to me
as time marches on), (Have I Stayed) Too
Long at the Fair. This was written
by a composer who died less than a year ago, Billy Barnes. He had a long career, mostly production
numbers for well-known TV shows of the 60s and 70s, but as some people write
but one great novel, (Have I Stayed) Too
Long at the Fair is his masterpiece.
It was written to be sung by a woman and two
wonderful, very different interpretations can be heard here, a 1963
recording by Barbara Streisand and another by Rosemary Clooney towards the end
of her career.
My homage to Billy Barnes follows. In a sense his piece encapsulates my feelings
as we leave for the summer
I wanted the music
to play on forever
Have I stayed too
long at the fair?
I wanted the clown
to be constantly clever
Have I stayed too
long at the fair?
I bought me blue
ribbons to tie up my hair
But I couldn't find
anybody to care;
The merry-go-round
is beginning to taunt now
Have I stayed too
long at the fair?
The music has stop
and the children must go now
Have I stayed too
long at the fair?
