Ha! Ha! Right on, flattop! How can we be a clique (pronounced "cleek") when we barely tolerate each other at times? Or is that the nature of a clique? Who knows? I know we all live in or around Orillia and we share a common interest in music. If the Yanks want to look for cliques around here, they should get involved in Orillia City Council politics and civic affairs in this town. Hoo boy! Talk about cliques! Deadly. I'd rather play music.

Rick played very well last night.

And yes, you did play 4 songs, flattop, and pretty well at that. I played 3, as I recall.

Comments on Jesse: It's a superbly written song, which doesn't tell you everything, and that is one of its strengths. I doubt that this song ever would have been written if not for the influence of Mr. Bob (Dylan) on its author. It's extremely Dylanesque.

Sheriff Paul had strong reasons to shoot the banker. The lives of both Jesse and Luann were hanging in the balance. The banker was a ruthless scumbag, that's pretty evident. He had designs on both Luann and on Jesse's worldly assets. He was practicing fraud and who knows what else. He had no respect for anyone in that town, which helps explain why the sheriff didn't like him one bit. The sheriff owed Jesse one for saving his life once before the war, and there was the honour of comrades who have shared common danger to think about. Jesse couldn't draw and shoot, because the banker was watching him all the while, and would probably have used Luann as a screen and shot Jesse, and probably Luann as well. The banker's gun need not have been aiming directly at Luann's head, but may simply have been beside her head, at the ready...more likely he had his mind on shooting Jesse, and was simply threatening Luann to keep Jesse helpless. Jesse stood his ground, but didn't draw his gun. Sheriff Paul acted immediately, to save the lives of 2 people whom he loved. Sheriff Paul is the unsung hero of that song...the implication is that he loved Luann too, but he was willing to let her go with the man she loved. That's a true hero.

But most of all, it's just a very good song, and that's the real justification for the whole thing.

If anyone wants to join our non-clique...hey, we're friendly here in Canada, so c'mon up. You might even get to eat at Rombo's, Finnegan's, Brewery Bay, or best of all...Mezzaluna. Bon appetit!