Summer in the City
Do you remember the song ‘Summer in the City‘ by the Lovin’ Spoonful? Every time I hear it, memories of a time long ago flood my mind. But, let me step back a moment.
I was just poking around my computer, checking out sales on my books, checking my social feeds and I was just about to move on to working my second draft of ‘Lucky Bitch‘ when this song came on the radio.
Ah, the radio. Well actually, it’s my satellite music feed that I get through my computer but so what. The concept is the same. Anyway, if you recall the song, it has a distinctive opening note. Actually a chord played on the organ.
Instantly, I was transported back to a time when I was a youngling. The song was released in July 1966 and I was ten years old. By this time, I had my own transistor radio. Remember those? The size of a pack of cigarettes and it ran on one 9-volt battery. That radio lived in my shirt pocket for many years, playing my favorite tunes on AM radio. I could be simply be walking around the outside of my house or playing with my friends and family as my parents watched from a distance. I felt warm and safe. And I had my tunes.
‘Summer in the City‘ is one of those songs I can never get enough of. Today, with the advent of auto repeat, I turn on that feature and lose maybe a half hour of time to my revelry. While I listen to the song, I lose myself in a world of imagination, peace and love, and endless summers without a care in the world.
Later in life, I came to associate the song with the coming of summer when girls appeared, walking around in short shorts, skimpy tank tops and sandals. I couldn’t wait for my first sighting of boobs barely contained behind tank tops and legs that seemed to stretch forever. Hearing the song, my heart would race, imaging sweat beading up on the faces of these lovelies. Eventually, I found my own lovely lady and would kiss those sweet droplets away.
To this day, this song elicits joy in my heart and smiles on my face. No matter what time of year I hear it, I find peace and love in my soul.
What about you? Do you share the same feelings? Different ones perhaps? For different songs? 
I must tell you, that for me, songs bring out emotions and feelings that I either hate, love or somewhere in between. I can only assume, having no other frame of reference, that everyone shares the same.
This is Richard Verry, writing to you while listening to ‘Summer in the City’, once again set on endless repeat. Peace and love everyone.
Endless Repeat
It really doesn’t matter what the project is either. I could be sketching a rough draft, drawing a final composition, painting in oils and watercolors or writing chapter after chapter of my new book. The song somehow allows me to disappear into my project. Lost in the realm I’m creating, the words seem to flow effortlessly to the keyboard, the paint flows from my brush to the canvas and the pencils and pastels blend smoothly across the paper. I’m in Heaven, Valhalla or any place one associates with a perfect alternate reality.
Hours later, I will emerge pleased with the progress I’ve made. After consuming food and drink, I come back and review my progress. I rarely find something that I want to touch up or change. I can only think that the trance I’m in somehow enhances the quality of my work.