Or, Playlist for a Summer's Night

The vast, rolling fields of new hay were lit amber by the setting sun. Walking around to the front of the house, she noticed that the Azaleas her grandfather had planted were blooming again. The air smelled of springtime/summertime. A smell so lovely yet defying description. Had she forgotten this smell, or had she matured to the point she could truly appreciate it; she could not tell.

The darkness inside the lovely old cottage was punctuated by the deep azure color of the sky as it shone through the kitchen windows. For a moment the yellow glare of the refrigerator light pierced the palette of deep, dark yet vibrant natural colors that surrounded her. Soon enough the invasion of the appliance's annoying incandescence was closed off again. She poured some wine into the glass she'd put on the old, tiled kitchen counter. The glass picked up and reflected the now deep-orange color of the hay, she paused for a moment to imagine the seemingly iridescent liquid to be some sort of magic potion.

The thought of a magic potion made her laugh out loud at herself for having such a childlike daydream. She returned to the front of the house and sat on the steps, so small and warm compared to the vast, cool darkness in-between the leaves and massive branches of the Azalea bushes.

After her first few sips of wine, as the warm relaxation spread from her belly out to her fingertips and toes, she lay back across the old wear—worn steps. The stars had come out now. So had the fireflies.

As the insects flew lazily behind the magenta Azalea flowers, the bushes appeared to become filled with tiny fires, lasting but only a second or two apiece. She savored the bit of liquid left and padded back into the kitchen to get more. The thought crossed her mind that she'd fetch herself a jelly glass, and capture one of the elusive electric eels of the air inside of it, for use as a night-light. She was too lazy to find one with a lid into which proper air holes could be pierced.

Glow little glow-worm, turn the key on
You are equipped with taillight neon
You got a cute vest-pocket Mazda*
Which you can make both slow and faster
I don't know who you took the shine to
Or who you're out to make a sign to
I got a gal that I love so
Glow little glow—worm, glow

Glass in one hand, a pillow in the other, she re-assumed her position on the stairs. The moonless sky was afire with stars, and the fireflies continued their psychedelic bouncing about the bushes' blossoms.

It was a quarter to three by the time she awoke. Even the glow worms were fast asleep somewhere. Without the aid of light, she closed the front door behind her and walked to the bedroom. As she pulled the fluffy warmth of the bedclothes around her she smiled and thought, "No, no glow worms were killed in action tonight."

*The "Mazda" referred to in Johnny Mercer's lyrics isn't the car; it's one of Thomas Edison's first brand names for the incandescent light bulb.

NOTE: The title of this nodeshell originated in a very peculiar way that's way too convoluted to even explain. Let's just say that filling it was in answer to a challenge. But I had an awful lot of fun doing it; which is all that matters.
 

About Some Of The Pipelinks

East of the Sun and West of the Moon by Brooks Bowman — Performed by Ella Fitzgerald among others.

Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin — Performed by the composer on piano and Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra; Michael Tilson Thomas recorded the song with the Columbia Jazz Orchestra with the piano part played by a player piano roll cut by the composer, of the original arrangement. The most popular recording is most often associated with the Woody Allen film "Manhattan," performed by Gary Graffman on piano accompanied by The New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta conducting.

The Days of Wine and Roses music by Henry Mancini and lyrics by Johnny Mercer — Performed by Perry Como among others.

Witchcraft music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Carolyn Leigh — Performed by Frank Sinatra among others.

Dream a Little Dream of Me music and lyrics by Andre Fabian, Gus Kahn and Wilbur Schwandt — Performed by Cass Elliot among others.

You Go To My Head music by J. Fred Coots and lyrics by Haven Gillespie — Performed by Frank Sinatra among others. An ironic performance was recorded in 1961 at Carnegie Hall by a drunken Judy Garland, who forgot a brief portion of the lyric mid—performance. The error was never removed from the recording. Ms. Garland appeared with the Mort Lindsay Orchestra. The album garnered a Grammy and is arguably (despite her condition) Ms. Garland's finest work on record. Judy at Carnegie Hall was recently re—mastered by Columbia Records.

Light My Fire music and lyrics by John Paul Densmore, Robert A. Krieger, Raymond D. Manzarek and Jim Morrison — Performed by The Doors and many others, including Nancy Sinatra.

Happy Trails music and lyrics by Dale Evans — Performed by Dale Evans and Roy Rogers, among others.

Glow Worm music by Paul Lincke, original lyric by Lilla Cayley Robinson; modern lyrics by Johnny Mercer — Performed by The Mills Brothers

"Dark Side of the Moon" by Pink Floyd (album).

One for my Baby (And One More for the Road) music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Johnny Mercer — Performed by Frank Sinatra and others.