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“Once there was a ghost living deep within my heart.  Came out at night and danced with me in the dark.â€
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It always amazes me that something as subtle as a voice can open up a wellspring of emotional memories. Â I’ve tuned in to hear a new song and before too long, Â I find myself rekindling old spirits from so long past. Â Doug Burr did that to me tonight, and ironically, he did it by sounding like someone else.
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I recently read an article about a certain neurologist. Â His work has led him to theorize that when we recall a memory, we tailor it a little each time. Â To wit, not only is the original event long gone, but so is our ability to recall it with perfect clarity. Â His theory has been controversial in the neurological community. Â I suppose it’s painful and perhaps disconcerting to think that our memories are, in fact, slipping away, and have been all the time, though we thought our minds to be sharp. Â The doctor in question feels these studies may provide hope for people suffering from disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Â If their incredibly traumatic memories can be dulled or altered in some way medically, they may be able to enjoy more fulfilling lives in the present. Â I suppose it is a lot to chew, theory-wise.
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As I listened to this song tonight, I knew immediately who Mr.Burr sounded like to me: Â a certain member of a little band named Fleetwood Mac. Â Perhaps you have heard of them?
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Fleetwood Mac is one of those bands that is on the soundtrack of my childhood. Â My father actually fell quite short in the parenting department, but he was pretty good at exposing me to terrific music: Â Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Carly Simon, the Guess Who, the Eagles, and Neil Young to name just a few. Â In fact, I think one of the very first images that may have been emblazoned upon my fragile young mind as a child was that Eagle’s album cover with the spooky bird skull painted with war paint on blue sand.
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I guess you could say that we beat the odds, my mother, my sister and I. Â My father took off when I was three, my sister just born. Â One would speculate that I had a rough childhood. Â One would be wrong. Â My mother carried on as though he had never been around, at least that was the image that she projected to us, though I am sure the truth was far worse. Â She concentrated all of her efforts on loving the hell out of us and providing us with the best life she could possibly give.
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The teenaged Tara might have heard Fleetwood Mac and thought of her bum father’s musical legacy. The adult Tara wants to thank her mother for giving her a childhood without a big gaping hole.
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While she’s doling it out, Â Adult Tara also wants to thank Doug Burr for sounding like Lindsey Buckingham.
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*this article is dedicated to my dearest Mumsy. Â Yer a good’n.
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Doug Burr – Red Red
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if my internet connection’s Mother had done as good of a job raising it as Tara‘s did with her, you wouldn’t see the little lines between each paragraph. but it didn’t. so I’m sorry.
Let’s face facts here…you kids were very easy to love! And as you know, being a mother was and is the greatest gift any short Swedish Mumsy could have ever asked for…but thanks for the snaps my dear and thanks for all the fun memories you gave me of watching you grow into such a wonderful young lady! Those memories are just as fresh and clean in my mind and heart as they were all those many years ago! I love you!
I also had to giggle a little bit over the whole thing about Fleetwood Mac..When I got my very first car, you were young and it was an old Mustang, white with red leather interior and I loved that car!It didn’t have a working radio but it did come with an 8 track player in it…I had just one 8 track, Fleetoowd Mac’s Rumors. When I drove anywhere that is what we listened to, over and over again, even at young ages you kids could sing along to every word!aaaah fun times!
Tara, I am so blown away by your writing (not to mention your musical picks). Thanks for another great Tuesday!
Leslie, that’s very kind of you to say. It put a much-needed smile on my face today. And I am happy that you are enjoying the series. See ya’ next Tuesday;)
i read the same article – he’s like a rockstar neurologist in black leather and hip cowboy boots! i always find it disconcerting that ‘they’ learn so much about ‘us’ by studying rats, but i must admit his research rang true. it’s pleasing, yes, to think we can tweak our memories. powerful. blessing. rats or no, i’ll take it.
Mumsy made me cry today..bit of PMT maybe but as a mum too, made me well up a bit.
We are listening to Red Red as I have my tea and Beliz, her cornflakes. She too shall hear the tunes of lifetimes and not just her own time. Nice work all round Noble ladies. 
“She too shall hear the tunes of lifetimes and not just her own time.” Beautiful, Claire! xo