Ramses one

That's how it is. Everybody says they like creativity, but when the chips are down, it's three people.
-- Christopher Reynolds, musician-songwriter-teacher

Christopher is featured in today's Plain Dealer (circulation 356,286), an expansive piece about his creative work. As usual, a brush with Chris is a breath of authenticity. I remember meeting him 10+ years ago at a CD release party for a compilation we were on. Even then, his version of a small talk was something like 'what is the state of your soul?' -- garbed in cloth less static.

With Christopher we peer at truths through infrared lens until we see ourselves reflected back, vaingloriously weary, trumpeters of wisdom on the airless dune, but somehow not so lonely as before.

At 45 he's far too young to be so wise but age, like freedom, has no rule but honesty and neither one enjoys a backward slide. I told him once my favorite song of his replayed a childhood ride in a red truck with a favorite uncle -- or was it grandpa? I think I understand the joy I felt in that. It's like he says in the paper today, creation boils down to three, regardless of the madding crowd as Ramses II parades across the Nile:

Thou and I and wheels of expectation.