Youth and Young Manhood

Hank Williams - Settin’ the Woods on Fire

We’ll take in all the honky tonks
Tonight we’re having fun
We’ll show the folks a brand new dance
That never has been done
I don’t care who thinks we’re silly
You be Daffy and I’ll be Dilly
We’ll order up two bowls of chili
Setting the woods on fire

I know little of Hank Williams aside from Wikipedia and 40 songs of his I’ve been playing incessantly. But I think I know what it would be like to meet him and his lyrical love interest from “Setting the Woods on Fire” on this particular night. I’d feel equal parts:

1. Exuberant
2. Ignored

The exuberance part, that’s both apparent and difficult to describe without getting saccharine. So let’s skip to being ignored shall we?

I claim the last empty stool at the bar and soon hear a distinctive soft yodel down the line. Wouldn’t you know it! Hank Williams himself is leaning in to the auburn-haired beauty to my left, singing an uncharacteristically sweet love song. I interrupt and introduce myself.

Two whiskeys come and go, and Hank, Millie and I are discussing his upcoming tour schedule. I make eye contact with the young couple as we talk. They look at me, too, like honest men and women do. And yet, their eyes have a depth of field and I’m not the focal point.

“You sure are a swell couple. How did y’all meet?” I ask.

An impromptu duet ensues as they alternate sentences, regaling me with that chance first encounter. I listen and understand their story. It’s a collection of times, places, names and dialogues and a fascinating one at that. (Hank earns his living telling stories after all.)

But I don’t really understand the story they’re telling. Their cumulative shared experience creates a much more detailed narrative through short pauses and facial expressions in a language I can’t understand.

I summon my whiskey courage and ask a fair gal near us to dance. She obliges.

The four of us head out to the hardwood floor where we boogie and we woogie. I dote on my swell new partner, but occasionally sneak a glance at Millie and Hank. They’re lost in each other, and watching them dance is like gazing into a snow globe.

Spending time with two people in love can be sad. You could spontaneously combust like a poorly planned microwave meal and they wouldn’t bat an eye. To them, the entire world is one giant third wheel.

I know, I know. I took probably the only happy song Hank Williams ever wrote and made it sad. This wasn’t meant to be a complaint piece, however…just an observation. To quote Johnny Cash:

“I don’t like it but I guess things happen that way.”

And when I find myself in a snow globe romance, I’ll be ignoring you too.

Download

(Thanks to Sarah and Jason for reading drafts of this)