Bill Moeller Commentary: More Country Sounds, Reflections and the Return of Crotchetyman

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As I sit down to begin writing this week’s column, it’s only the morning after the last of Ken Burns’ eight episode epic on country music and I’m still feeling a bit numb from the emotional aspects of it but particularly the dramatic ending to the entire series.  All the heartache of some couples, the dedication of the newer performers and the troubled future of the industry made these 91-year-old eyes begin to feel a little moist.

The future seems to be tied into corporate methods of doing business, leaving less space for performers of the future to be experimental and individual. I think “cookie cutter” is a good adjective to use, along with the motto “bigger is better.” An example of that is the fact that Mr. Burns is, in most of our minds, given the credit for the series.  But, for me at least, the listing at the end of each episode of those associated with the project passed by faster than I could follow it. There must have been two hundred or more names listed.

I’d wondered if there’s ever been a book published that contains the lyrics of every song written or published by Kris Kristofferson? It’s poetry, philosophy and humanity of the highest order. It does exist but Timberland Library has none … however it may be able to borrow it from another system.

The best part is that we’ll soon be able to watch the same series again on channel 12, KBTC.   You can bet I’ll be trying to watch every episode and might eventually be encouraged to write about an old character named “Uncle Ollie” in Clarksville, Tennessee and his connection with Roy Acoff.

Enough of that. Crotchetyman has returned! The United Natural Food distribution center off Galvin Road is getting close to beginning business. There may be a few who haven’t driven by to see how almost unbelievably huge that building is. But, ever since I first saw the building under construction, a nagging thought in my mind has always been that, since it is a distribution center, it’ll be pretty well packed with merchandise and those products must be both delivered to the facility and, then, carried out again.

How will that be done? The railroad tracks don’t run on that side of the road, there’s no landing field nearby and the Chehalis River is too shallow to allow ships to dock nearby — so that leaves only one method of moving the merchandise in and back out again — trucks, big trucks and lots of them! We can hope that most of this activity will be scheduled to occur during nighttime hours, otherwise there’ll be a heck of a traffic jam where Galvin Road meets Harrison Avenue!  Especially, when parents drop their children off at the Fords Prairie school and pick them up again in the afternoon.



I try to write down most of the strange thoughts that appear in my subconscious. Later, when I find them again, I sometimes can’t remember what I was trying to say or what the context was meant to be. I found one old note the other day which said only “stories of the heart and what the heart will make you do.”  What the heck did I mean by that, and in what context? Was it about love? With, certainly, no hint of pride, I’ll admit that in my 91 years I have loved more than once and, in return have, fortunately, been loved more than once as well. Maybe I was feeling nostalgic at the time?

 

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Bill Moeller is a former entertainer, mayor, bookstore owner, city council member, paratrooper and pilot living in Centralia. He can be reached at bookmaven321@comcast.net.