♫ Can you write a little story that includes 6 of these COWSILL song titles?

1. Meet Me At The Wishing Well


2. In Need Of A Friend


3. Hair


4. The Rain The Park And Other Things


5. Capt. Sad And His Ship Of Fools


6. We Can Fly


7. Indian Lake


8. Gotta Get Away From It All


9. A Time For Remembrance


10. The Path Of Love





BONUS PHRASE: Newspaper Blanket

♫ Can you write a little story that includes 6 of these COWSILL song titles?
It was a good turnout. I had always known it would be. He'd had a lot of friends, been popular with all the guys in the team, and came from one of those extended Italian-American families that I'd always thought must have meant there was a birthday gift to buy every day. He'd have said that was typical of me.... always looking for the negatives. Maybe he was right. Even now, at this most poignant time of remembrance and respect, it piqued me that I still found his self-righteousness - albeit self-effacing - a cause of irritation. Anyway. I stood well back from the main crowd, not wanting to elicit any gestures of empathy from the other mourners; much as I wanted to share in the collective grief, and much as I needed the opportunity to express my sorrow, to find an outlet for the pain that had been steadily building up inside, and desperately in need of a friend, I knew my presence there would be neither understood, nor welcomed. So, I stood well back, against the bough of the old oak, its defoliated branches failing miserably to shelter me from the steady downpour that had so characterised this cold, grey October, flattening my hair against scalp, and running into my staring and unblinking eyes. I knew that wearing the Oakleys, without so much as a suggestion of sunlight to mitigate them, would be perceived by some as a contrived, and inappropriate fashion statement, but they served their purpose of concealing my features from the two solitary figures, standing by the graveside, who - more than anyone - would not tolerate my attendance. Regrouping my senses, I took stock of my surroundings, the training and discipline kicking in automatically; I took in the cover provided by trees, the cars lining the avenue, the low, flat roofed buildings nearby, the exit routes and the distant hills. Pragmatic. Poised. Predictable. I also took in the mourners; ashen faced, some weeping, some staring blankly into the distance. The small child, blissfully unaware of the situation, laughing and clapping at the dog, running in synch with its owner around the perimeter, nimbly skipping over the prone figure of the vagrant, lying by the park bench, his newspaper blanket struggling pitifully to deflect the deluge. I took in the sky, the sounds of the city, the rain, the park and other things that our instructor would have dismissed as irrelevant.... as distractions. How ironic that those selfsame distractions had caused me....i mean ME...... not him..... to almost lose it that last time round. Without him there to drag me back down behind the remains of the old outhouse where we'd been caught in the crossfire, I knew how different things would have been today. How different I so wanted them to be today. He'd seen the panic in my eyes. Had laughed it off. Casually re-loading as he told me how we'd party once we finished the tour..kept telling me how we can fly ANYWHERE we want....head to the beaches in Cancun...."gotta get away from it all bro". His mantra....... His mantra until just after he'd raised his head to look for the sniper who'd missed me by an inch. The sniper who'd seen him pull me back to safety, robbing him of his prize. The sniper who didn't miss the second time. I laughed, kicking away the rotting leaves as I turned away from the grave, knowing that the sniper's bullet had killed something in me as well.
Reply:Left Behind


I use to love THE RAIN, THE PARK, AND OTHER THINGS, but lately nothing gave me much peace or joy any more. My job was really getting to me as well. It was like working with CAPTAIN SAD AND HIS SHIP OF FOOLS. There was no organization or proper communication going on at all. My life seemed to be out of control. “I GOTTA GET AWAY FROM IT ALL for awhile,” I thought to myself. This week-end I’m going to INDIAN LAKE. It is beautiful in that area this time of year and maybe, just maybe, I’ll find that someone I met years ago up there again. “I WAS IN NEED OF A FRIEND,” I told myself, and I was going to find him.


Saturday morning I left before dawn arose. It was going to be a gorgeous autumn day. I couldn’t wait to smell the fall leaves flying around and then landing on the ground leaving a rustling sound behind as you walked through them.


I got there shortly after 9:30 and as I stepped out of my car I could feel the cool wind on my face and blowing softly through my HAIR. “Oh I should have done this long ago,” I said out loud. I couldn’t wait to get to the bank of INDIAN LAKE and look out.


As I sat down and gazed over the water I watched two loons gliding passed me. Yes it was A TIME OF REMEMBRANCE for me. I could feel the calm of the place enfolding me once again. Years ago I had felt the same peace here and found who I was looking for. I didn’t realize it at the time but my friend had been by my side all along and I didn’t have to do a thing except ask.


I could hear a soft whisper in the winds, “MEET ME AT THE WISHING WELL.” I slowly got up and started walking towards it enjoying the scenery and smells surrounding me. When I rounded the bend the sun broke out on the water glistening like tiny stars dancing all across the ripples come in towards the shore. I stood there staring and totally speechless at the beauty and serenity I once again felt.


I had found THE PATH OF LOVE once again and my Lord and friend was right there with me.


I had gotten so wrapped up in my daily routine I had forgotten to spend time with the most important friend I needed in my life but because of His reminding love all around me I knew that I would be alright once more, only this time I’ll take my Lord with me wherever I go.
Reply:Will do but give me some time!
Reply:X 1. Meet Me At The Wishing Well


X 2. In Need Of A Friend


X 3. Hair


X 4. The Rain The Park And Other Things


5. Capt. Sad And His Ship Of Fools


X 6. We Can Fly


X 7. Indian Lake


X 8. Gotta Get Away From It All


X 9. A Time For Remembrance


X 10. The Path Of Love


BONUS PHRASE: Newspaper Blanket





It was the summer of 1978. Peggy and I had broken up earlier in the year, but still... there came a knock at my dorm room door. I opened it, and there she was. I remembered the previous summer, when we'd traveled around and walked the path of love... well, there's a time for remembrance, and a time to live in the present.





"Hello Emu." She sounded sad, not like her usual perky self. "I'm in need of a friend."





"C'mon in," I opened the door wider, and gestured to my chair. I sat on my bed.





"Sometimes, I feel like I gotta get away from it all," she began.





"Well, we can fly out to Indian Lake, if you like." I responded.





"Drive me?" she asked. I nodded. "Now?" I nodded again.





I grabbed my car keys, and we were on our way. It was a six hour drive, up in the mountains north of Castaic. Peggy was uncharacteristically silent. The late afternoon sun brought highlights from her hair. She was beautiful, still. Was I pining over her? Maybe some.





It was evening, and raining a little, when we pulled in at Indian Lake Park. I just stopped the car and didn't get out, mulling over the rain, the park, and other things. There was a sign: "Hiking trail to the wishing well, 1 mile, 200 ft gain."





Peggy got out. "Meet me at the wishing well?" she said.





"Let's stay together," I said. I got out of the car, and grabbed my umbrella. "Please share my umbrella." I like walking in the rain. Not so keen on wishing wells, though. I prefer wishing on the stars up above.
Reply:I said to you, I have gotta get away from it all. I am going to head to Indian Lake and walk along the path of love. It is a time for remembrance and I am need of a friend. We can fly or catch a ride with Capt. Sad and his ship of fools. But wait?! You were suppose to meet me at the wishing well. You didn't show! I smooth back my hair from my face and think of the rain the park and other things as I snuggle back down under my newspaper blanket.

new year lily