I remember Richard Nixon back in '74 and the final scene at the White House door
and the staff lined up to say good-bye, tiny tear in his shifty little eye,
he said, "Nobody knows me, nobody understands.
These little people were good to me, oh I'm gonna shake some hands."
The rest of the song is all about places and situations that line things and people up. It's a great little song. If you read me at all you know I think pretty much every JT song is a great song. But the simple imagery in this song strikes a chord that surfaces in my mind pretty regularly as I see similar examples of lined up items in the everyday. Such is the case this afternoon.
I'm in the local nail salon enjoying a pedicure as I write this. I've been using this salon for years. The people who work here are consistent- very kind, personable. Like so many other successful salons, it's lined with massage chairs filled with Floridians trying to keep their ever exposed flip-flopped tootsies groomed and painted to beach worthy perfection. Along the walls, lines of colorful paints and glitters to fit anyone's taste. At the foot of each chair, a line of hard-working hunched-over men and women of varying ages diligently clip nails, rub feet, polish and perfect the toes of strangers. I gotta admit, I don't think I could do it. The regulars, ok. Like me, they're pretty much guaranteed to be well-enough groomed from the last appointment. But you should see some of the nasty feet that walk into these places, yuck!
Anyway, a nod to these kind people, providing a service many would turn their noses up at for work, all lined up like another verse in James Taylor's song.
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