The Big Reveal…

…but first, an apology. I am so sorry that I missed posting yesterday. I fell asleep! I know you are all insanely busy moms so you can understand that admission. The Gaffer has developed a new pasttime, 4:00am dance parties. Thursday morning the party started at 4:02 with a loud blast of Johnny Cash’s “Burning Ring of Fire.” That early rise was the prelude to a full day of the last day of classes- draining is a mild adjective for those hours – followed by scholarship interviews for next year. Then a mad dash home for Sirtalksalot’s birthday party for which the restaurant no longer exists. A quick change in dining venue and a much needed though ill-advised glass and a half of wine. When we finally got home, I lay on the bed for a moment to re-energize before rhapsodizing about my favourite famous guy for all of you, and I woke up this morning. This day began with Mlle. Jensaispas’s birthday and the usual off to school chaos, but now everyone is gone,and, against the advice of every parenting expert, I am letting the TV babysit the Gaffer in the form of Treehouse and I am going to tell you all about the man of my dreams.

First I have to thank all my friends who know the answer to this and didn’t post it. There were two correct guesses. That tall, slim, rakish Canadian musician who warms my soul is Jim Cuddy.

I first saw Blue Rodeo when they played an open air concert at Queen’s University in the 80’s. I think I’ve revealed before that I have always been a sucker for tall skinny men, so, a tall skinny lead singer with a very cute smile and an excellent band seemed designed just for me.  And he seemed so smart. Now a cute,tall, skinny guy with brains and a guitar…is there anyone out there who can deny the attractability of this combination?  Then through three brushes with him, I found out that not only is he all these things, he is funny and nice to boot. Can you think of a better rock star candidate for whom to harbour a not-so-secret crush?

One of the courses I teach is Writer’s Craft and we tend to get into a lot of discussions about music so the boys usually learn quite early that Blue Rodeo is my favourite band. About 7 years ago, Mr. Husband and I had tickets to the CSNY reunion show at the ACC. The same night, one of my students was going to see Blue Rodeo at Massey Hall and was quite taken aback that I would skip BR for CSNY. I assured him that my loyalty was not fading but that I was expecting my boys in Blue to be around for a long time and I was not sure how many other opportunties I would get to see the genius of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, one of the forerunning bands of my heartthrob. We went to our respective concerts and compared notes the next day, both of us still brimming with the thrill of the music.  My student had brought me home a promotional poster from the Days In Between tour and I unrolled the top to check it out, thanked him and then put it away until I could have it framed. Six months later when I finally got to the frame store and unrolled it, I saw the inscription, “Dear Ms. Rush (my maiden name) I can’t believe you missed our concert for CSNY. Shame on you. Love Jim Cuddy.” I still sigh, just typing this out for you.

The next year, when my class arrived, I had the poster hanging in the room. One of my students asked me why I had it there and I began to rhapsodize about the lyrics, the music, Jim, and he informed me that my Jim was one of his dad’s closest friends.  That year, I received a copy of a Jim Cuddy Band album before it had been released and another poster. Plus a lot of lovely comments about what a wonderful guy he is.

And just like the title of “It Could Happen to You” says,I met Jim himself, a couple of years later. He was a guest of members of our ski club and there he was sitting a couple of tables away, eating lunch. I was on the other side of the cafeteria, pregnant and star-struck. I didn’t know the people he was sitting with and had no opening until my friend Laura, who had already gone over and introduced herself, told me I may never have another chance. So I waddled my belly over to my Jim and introduced myself by saying, “Hi Jim, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you. You may not remember me, but I am a teacher and over the last few years, you have sent some lovely gifts my way.” He remembered me right away! My school, the names of my students, everything!I chattered on inanely for a couple of minutes as I do whenever I am nervous or embarrassed. Then we ended the conversation with me telling him that I was disappointed his date at the Kee to Bala, in Muskoka would be in May that year instead of the usual October, because it was the weekend my baby was due. His retort? “You’ll be there.” I said, “Sorry Jim, not too likely but I’ll see you next time around.” And he repeated, “You’ll be there,” and we moved back to our respective tables.

And guess what??? I was there!!! The Gaffer appeared two weeks after that meeting, thirteen weeks before she was supposed to.  She had been home from the hospital for one week before the concert and it was my first night out since her birth. We celebrated the beginning of summer, her life, my life and the fact that Jim Cuddy was standing stage right smiling into the crowd at the Kee reminding us that if we are ever lost, “We are Lost Together.”

I’ve tried to tally the number of times I’ve seen Blue Rodeo. Mathematically, I have known about them for just over twenty years and if I figure I have seen them at least twice a year, that makes it over 40 times. They have made my life much easier by playing at venues I can reach, the Horseshoe Tavern years, Convocation Hall, the Kee to Bala, Massey Hall and the Amphitheatre. I have to admit, though I hate to, I have missed a few shows at the Amphitheatre. When you’ve seen a band at the Kee to Bala, danced non-stop and sung every lyric at the top of your voice, it is very difficult to go to a venue where the people behind keep sending “sh’s” and “sit down’s” up the rows. At Massey Hall, the staff won’t even let you dance, but we always buy tickets in the last row now and they tend to leave us alone.

There is a real Canadianness to Jim. He just seems like a nice guy. The lyrics of their songs, the majority of which are written by Cuddy, Greg Keelor or Cuddy and Keelor feature Canadian towns and lifetstyle. The music is that great mix of old rock and roll and country blues. There is never an occasion when it doesn’t fit.  Everyone has those moments in their lives that remain clear as a bell, no matter how much time has passed. Blue Rodeo is at the heart of one of those for me. The band was playing a New Year’s Eve gig at the Kee. This bar is like a big huge barn and with a 14 foot stage and a big balcony over the Lake Muskoka behind the stage. It  used to be called Dunn’s Dance Pavilion and  played host to all the big band greats of the 50’s and 60’s, Tomy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, and Herb Alpert.  The first time Jim and his boys played the New Year’s gig, it was -22 outside and snowing. Inside it was 85 degrees and people were dancing their asses off. The doors to the balcony were open and we could see the snow cascading in big flakes over the lake.  Jim stepped back from the front of the stage and Keelor walked forward, holding his microphone out over the crowd singing one line, “You say that you’re leaving…”and the audience picked it up from there belting out an acapella rendition of “Hasn’t hit Me Yet” that rocked those rickety old floor boards to the core. Especially the lines about a cold December night and the snow on Lake Ontario.

Jim is happily married so I hope I don’t offend his wife with my ravings. I am happily married and appreciate that Mr. Husband lets me have my little crush. Blue Rodeo has been with me in misery and ecstacy. They have been on my parent’s console-style record player and now my i-pod. I have listened to them studying for exams, suffering through a break up, planning a wedding, caring for a sick infant, running a marathon, celebrating with friends and relaxing in a boat. I spent two hours with them and a thousand other people last weekend and was ready to take on the world for another week.

Thanks guys.