love is in the air

Imagine this: late Thursday night, the crowd is tired on the platform, two days till Christmas. Metro: Reamur Sebastopol. Across from us, sitting on three plastic seats, are three ordinary middle aged black men, one with a small drum, the second with an acoustic guitar, the third with an electric guitar and a mic. The acoustic and drum are tapping out the rhythm section to Carole King's You've got a Friend.

The electric guitar suddenly sits in, playing a very relaxed minimal melody atop the rhythm. Only the very keys necessary, a bit like Thelonius Monk. He's sitting very far backwards on his chair, his belly supporting the white electric. Three teenagers start to dance and clap along to his playing. They laugh. He continues, slow and tender, delicately weaving the outlines of the melody arch, note after note, a very deep quiet settles in over the platform. People are listening. And then he starts to sing.

When you're down and troubled
and you need a helping hand
and nothing, whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
and soon I will be there
to brighten up even your darkest nights.

You just call out my name,
and you know wherever I am
I'll come running, oh yeah baby
to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall,
all you have to do is call
and I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've got a friend.

If the sky above you
should turn dark and full of clouds
and that old north wind should begin to blow
Keep your head together and call my name out loud
and soon I will be knocking upon your door.

You just call out my name and you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall
all you got to do is call
and I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey, ain't it good to know that you've got a friend?
People can be so cold.
They'll hurt you and desert you.
Well they'll take your soul if you let them.
Oh yeah, but don't you let them.

You just call out my name and you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Oh babe, don't you know that,
Winter spring summer or fall,
Hey now, all you've got to do is call.
Lord, I'll be there, yes I will.
You've got a friend.
You've got a friend.
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.
You've got a friend.

I'm having such luck these days.