"I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs"
I have known this song for a really long time, since it came out the year after I was born I guess that might explain why. I have always loved it, even if it is a mixed bag of feelings for me. First it has always reminded me of my childhood, nothing in particular just a feeling of happiness and a flood of snapshot like images of myself and my brothers over the years. Not long after that feeling then I am immediately taken to the scene in Reservoir Dogs where this song is playing on the radio. I typically am not bothered by gore in movies but every once in a while something will come along that makes me cover my eyes, this was one of those times. Although it really is not that gory there is something about it that makes it difficult to watch for me. There is a scene in the first Hostel movie that gets a similar reaction from me and its not even on the top 10 list of gory scenes from that movie, but I can't watch that one either.
P.S. I choose today's lyrics because I thought they were funny when you think of them in the context of getting older. I knew I've had these thoughts because once you hit a certain age these things become a real concern.
Full disclosure: I did not know this song until watching Reservoir Dogs and IYKYK. I'm pretty sure Shannon already knew it, based on Chuck's record collection while she was growing up.
I'll also note that I've seen it on motorcycle paniers / saddlebags so if you're in a cage coming up behind one, you would see something like the image above.
But that dear friends, is not why this song is here. For you see, five years ago today I started my job at Yost Ford. I have recently moved on - and no shit - the day after my last day there, the owner and his son came in to advise everyone that they were losing too much money and were shutting it down.
This was not the first time this type of discussion happened while I was there, but this time they were serious. And since the Ford sign is gone and vehicle inventory is dwindling, I can only assume it's actually happening.
On average, there were six employees at the dealership all driven by Ford's systems access requirements - a General Manager, a Sales Manager, a Salesman, a Parts / Service / Warranty Manager (me), a Finance Manager and a Senior Master Technician.
But in all reality - no one was in "charge". The owner also has three implement dealerships and the majority of the time he was focused on those businesses.
So with such a small group of people and being in the middle of nowhere, the best way I can describe it is this: Think Radiator Springs from Cars - when Lightning McQueen gets there. That's the pace of life here in Saint Francis. I'm not joking.
So throw in someone (me) who has been operating with Red Bull as blood for 29 years into Radiator Springs and there's bound to be some shenanigans. Because they don't know how to handle me and I don't know how to handle them.
As luck would have it, the dealership didn't pay for Muzak, they just had a radio playing - and thank god for that! For you see, it was mostly right up my alley. So I have to give a shoutout to KYVZ 106.1 as they played such a variety of music and a TON of songs I had not heard in decades. Like this one. And as soon as I heard it, I made it the unofficial Yost Ford theme song. Every time it would play, I would crank up the volume (which was ok because there were zero customers in there - again, Radiator Springs) and dedicate it to my fellow coworkers. They all got a laugh out of it and wondered aloud
"Wait - Am I the clown or the joker in this song?"
So here's to my coworkers at Yost Ford - I will never hear this song again without thinking about all of you.
P.S. Why did I say mostly up above - because I never heard one Rush song in five years of listening. But there were enough other fantastic ones for me to overlook that small fact...
Stuck In the Middle With You Stealers Wheel
Well I don't know why I came here tonight I've got the feeling that something ain't right I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs
Clowns to the left of me Jokers to the right Here I am stuck in the middle with you
Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you And I'm wondering what it is I should do It's so hard to keep this smile from my face Losing control, yeah I'm all over the place
Clowns to the left of me Jokers to the right Here I am stuck in the middle with you When you started off with nothing And you're proud that you're a self-made man
And your friends they all come crawling Slap you on the back and say Please Please
Trying to make some sense of it all But I can see it makes no sense at all Is it cool to go to sleep on the floor? 'Cause I don't think that I can take anymore
Clowns to the left of me Jokers to the right Here I am stuck in the middle with you
When you started off with nothing And you're proud that you're a self-made man And your friends they all come crawling Slap you on the back and say Please Please
Well I don't know why I came here tonight I've got the feeling that something ain't right I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs
Clowns to the left of me Jokers to the right Here I am stuck in the middle with you
Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you Stuck in the middle with you Here I am, stuck in the middle with you
Ghost of a Chance 