Leesa and I just returned, on Tuesday, from a brief run to Nashville, where we visited friends and she strolled with me down Memory Lane — otherwise known, in this instance, as Music Row. We’d driven up and down 16th and 17th Avenues before, and I’d pointed out this place or that, but, of course, in those situations the place has already gone past before the significance or even the identification of it fully registers. She liked walking around with me, where we could stop in front of a house where I used to live and take a couple of pictures.
I took a deep dive into memory during the two-day visit, and the sense of it has stayed with me through these revisitations to my journals from 1978 (when Nashville still lay hidden over the horizon), from 1980, 1985, and 1986.
Captain’s Log: Stardate 011.078 [Tuesday, January 10, 1978]
Here is today: got up _ wasted time _ handbell class _ wasted time _ band _ went home _ and here I am back at school. It’s not been very exciting to say the least, but the Lord has been very good to me in all he has given.
I think I’ve figured my hesitation with G——— out. It’s like dating someone new and old at the same time. It’s easy to date someone completely new because each experience is getting to know them. With G———, I’ve known her for a long time, yet I’m having to build a whole new relationship; kind of hard for me at least. . . .
Captain’s Log: Stardate 011.178 [Wednesday, January 11, 1978]
Time passes on here at MHC but there’s nothing to pass the time, if ya know what I mean. We sat around tonight looking for something to do and might well have gone crazy had it not been for some descent [sic] TV. Oh well, all that’s behind now and I’ll get some sleep and do it all again tomorrow. Nothing profound tonight except that I’m alive, well, and living in. . . .
I learned in this gathering of journal entries that I had difficulties spelling decent and loneliness. They’re good words, but I consistently misspelled them.
Captain’s Log: Compiled Stardates 011.278-011.478 [Thursday-Saturday, January 12-14, 1978]
Never have I seen such uneventful days! I had more than this to do last year when I was at home for a month with not even a class to go to. I guess I could get out and sled, play pinball, or hang around at the snackbar, but there’s no use knocking myself out if I don’t really want to. I’ll almost be glad to get back into a full schedule of classes. Well, I’m gonna go home now. . . .
Captain’s Log: Stardate 011.578 [Sunday, January 15, 1978]
Well, today was Super Bowl Sunday. I went to Mike’s and watched Dallas beat Denver 27-10. Last night, it snowed about 6 inches on top of the two or three we already had, so we didn’t have SS and church this morning.
Last night, as Joe and I walked around in the snow, I lost all of my keys. That’s the breaks. . . .
Captain’s Log: Stardate 011.678 [Monday, January 16, 1978]
Another day gone with the wind. Yogi and I went to Marshall to have a couple of keys made then went to Asheville to the drug store. Later on, there was a knock on the door and it was Egbert with my keys. He said they were in Cloice’s truck but I am positive I had them at Steve’s, long after I was in Cloice’s truck. Therefore, I firmly believe the Lord just laid them in there in answer to my prayers.. Thank you Lord.
Tonight was no big deal. We saw a Woody Allen movie, “Take the Money and Run” which was pretty good.
I’ve got to find a girl and I pray that I find a good’un. . . . for he is able to give exceedingly, abundantly above all that we can ask or think. . . .
“Egbert” was the pet name for my younger cousin Mark Plemmons. His father’s name, Cloice, is pronounced, KLO-iss, for those of you who’ve never run across that name before. I have no idea where it came from, and I don’t remember ever having met another so named. The Nashville apartment house I moved to in January 1980 at some point had a Clovis, but that’s more common, I think.
Captain’s Log: Stardate 011.080 [Thursday, January 10, 1980]
Today has been a good day up until now at least. I had good classes this morning and all day actually. I spent my free time today doing a lead sheet for “Rhymes.” I’m gonna try to keep one of those projects going all the time. Tonight I studied accounting ’til I was blue in the face. Then I tried to write some but I was burnt, especially when I went to the ‘frig’ [sic] to get my last MD and it was gone. I’ve tried to tell myself, maybe I had the last today but I know it was there.
Well, I go to chapel tomorrow. I hope I’m sitting with some descent [sic] people.
I’ve been thinking about K——— and folks at home alot lately so tomorrow I go home. K——— sure has been on my mind alot lately. Now that I’m away from her it may be that I’ll fall in love with her. I’ll probably take her out this weekend. Better get some rest for the trip . . . when my life and writing is going wrong I think of Dallas and “I’ve never seen the Righteous forsaken”
- MD = Mountain Dew
- “chapel” was a regular, required gathering of Belmont College students for religious (Baptist) instruction. We had assigned seats, and attendance was taken. I remember mine being near the middle of a row near the back right of the auditorium. I thought the requirement was a bit archaic; Mars Hill College was also a Baptist institution, but I think its chapel requirement was long gone by the time I began there.
Captain’s Log: Stardate 011.180-011.380 [Friday-Sunday, January 11-13, 1980]
Today was . . . Wait, I have a whole weekend to report. I made the long drive home Friday OK. I spent the evening at home with the Plemmons’ [sic]. That night Joey said he and Charl were having problems but I think things have worked out OK[.] Saturday I spent most of the day with Ed, Laura, and Keith. I talked to Jobie, Stan, and Karen too. The boys from 013 — shdoobee went to see the Electric Horseman and it was really good.
Today was great until I left Mike’s at about 4:10. The drive was bad enough but when I had car trouble it was really bad. I got scared and nervous, then missed home and friends, then started crying. But as the tears fell I smiled as I remembered the words of Dallas Holm’s “He is There.” It was a good experience. I had a lump of lonliness [sic] in my throat for a long time after I got here but the Lord and my accounting homework got rid of that . . . sleepy now, ciao . . .
As Leesa and I were driving to Nashville on Sunday the 12th, we were descending the western side of the Cumberland Plateau as I told her about a night back in the ’80s when I was having car trouble in that area. The experience of January 13th described above seems exactly like what i was telling her. I was barely 21 and in the middle of seemingly nowhere. No cell phone. I remember the scare and the tears. But maybe I had two such experiences over the years of traveling that road, because one detail is missing. I don’t remember the assistance of the Dallas Holm song, but maybe that was the case. What I do remember distinctly — which doesn’t appear in the above relation — is that at my worst moment I looked off into the darkness north of the interstate and saw a brightly lit cross shining from some distant hilltop (or hillside). I calmed down. My car quit its misbehaving. I made it to Nashville safe and sound and thankful.
Captain’s Log: Stardate 011.480 [Monday, January 14, 1980]
All in all a good day today. I went to chapel and then had a good accounting class and Mulloy’s class was OK too. I spent most of the afternoon, it seemed on the pay phone, I go to get mine Wednesday and they’ll hook it up Thursday.
I got the pictures I’ve been looking for today and they were the best ever of 013. I can’t wait ’til the boys see them.
I called Dad tonight and he said to bring the car on home Friday so I’m gonna get out of my 1:00 class so I can get almost there before dark. Maybe I can get Joe and Steve to meet me in Knoxville and follow me in.
Oh yes, Pam called me yesterday. It was good to talk to her. She said they lost the tape and I just hope and pray it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
I’ve got my longest day tomorrow so I better get some sleep . . .
I’m thinking that the “Pam” referenced in this entry was Pam Furman, one of the California girls with me on the amazing AESU trip from the previous summer (1979).
Captain’s Log: Stardate 011.580 [Tuesday, January 15, 1980]
I just wanted to write a little this morning because of a dream I had. It was the first time I ever remember dreaming about Papa. In the dream a group of us are walking down the road and there he was on a horse come riding down from the field he was working in. I can’t remember exactly what he said. I just remember crying and asking how he was. I think he said he was well.
Captain’s Log: Stardate 011.580 [Continued]
“The Silence of the Mornin'” . . . Ed Huskey. I think it was about his favorite song and I was just listening to it.
I got quite a bit of work done today as far as my own stuff. I did music for “You and I” and finished and put music to “It’s Always Been You”. It’s been so lately that I’ve been putting chords in my book and I think soon I’ll record everyone and add another every time I finish. I also need to start my lead sheets. So far I only have “Rhymes”. I’m gonna ask Mr. Mulloy if its lead sheets are acceptable before I do all the rest.
I go pick up my phone tomorrow and I guess I’ll be just like the “Jerk” when the new phone book comes. Well, it’s really late . . .
Captain’s Log: Stardate 011.680 [Wednesday, January 16, 1980]
Well, it’s been an unbelievably average day . . . Seminar, class, eat, and study. The only things out of the ordinary were: I got my telephone today . . . 320-5051 Cody, Michael A. _ I had company for dinner . . . Taylor Binkly, my new next door neighbor _ I called Beth Forbis and talked to her quite a while . . . we’re gonna get together some time next week _ and I wrote many letters.
As you may have noticed, Beth is about the first girl I’ve mentioned since I came to Nashville. I’m trying not to think about it if possible ’cause it usually just makes me sick. I feel the good Lord will lead me to someone in due time so I’m just trying to trust Him in this right now. Not to say I haven’t seen and stared at several nice ‘uns I’m just . . .
Like Pam Furman, Beth Forbis was one of the girls from AESU 616. I saw her that one night in Nashville. She was going to college, but I can’t remember which one. Vanderbilt maybe.
Captain’s Log Stardate 8501.11 [Friday, January 11, 1985]
It is morning and I am still not all awake yet but I figured I’d write a little because at night I seem to work on songs to the point of exhaustion. Still they come slow and labored. I really must try to forget the record business all together so tI can concentrate on what I am writing . . .
Captain’s Log Supplimental [sic]
Today really turned out well. After I wrote my first entry, Jim wanted me and Billy Bob Shane to do a rough (office) version of the song we wrote (“On the Loose”) which turns out to be a descent [sic] little tune, I just say. Then Jim and I had ourselves a lunch at Shoney’s after which I walked around the mall for a while. When I got back to the office everyone looked at me all smiles and I was informed that Kin Vassey of Kenny Rogers Prods. had called with an enthusiastic review of “Real Love” which I blindly sent to LA a few months ago. I called Kin back because he had a suggestion for a possible change of a couple of bars in the chorus. He thought the tune was very good and told me I was a good writer and artist. I was naturally on a high. Kenny will be cutting sometime toward June so I think “Real Love” will definitely be considered. Also Kin said to send him anything I wanted and he gave me a code (K)* to put on the package so it was sure to get directly to him. Thanks God for all of this. I was so inspired even when I got off work that I was able to come home and finish a new song I’ve been wrestling with for a couple of weeks. Of course I’ll live with it a while but I think it’s done. I call it “Never Fade Away“, a positive love song (believe it or not) inspired by time spent recently with a certain Pyra Rochelle Slaven. it’s been a good day and now I’ll sleep . . .
* A K inside a circle.
33 years ago today — January 16, 2020 — was also a Thursday.
Captain’s Log Stardate 8601.16 [Thursday, January 16, 1986]
I guess the only big news is that I have moved to Cats #1 on West End and going at it full time. Due to concern over Earl’s financial situation and our arrangement, I decided to check on full-time work with Steve West so there you have it. I like it pretty well. The time flies faster because we generally stay so busy. Still not sure how this will affect my writing as I haven’t settled down enough yet to write.
I must stop here and confess the feelings that hit me when I wrote that last bit. It was a feeling of hopelessness. Why am I concerned about my writing? What is the point in it? It has gotten me nowhere really. There is little sense of accomplishment when a great song is finished and shoved into a drawer. There must be more. I don’t have a girl either. I know I would write regardless of where I was or what I was doing. Should I leave Nashville and go home or to California or to Maine and start building a life? I don’t want to give up but I can’t hold to the road much longer without some sense of direction.
Part of my depression is being alone. It’s tough to sit at Burger King’s drive-thru and watch the couple in the car behind you making out and laughing. It’s 12:30 AM and you’re all alone. I also get an odd feeling when Noel shows up with one of his beautiful new finds. I know fully that there is not one bit of vanity in him. I think it’s just the sheer beauty of a girl like Jan that gives me that slap of lonliness [sic].
Earl is in New York doing who knows what. I have tried to hold on to some faith in him but it is gone. I’ve used the big “if” in talking about him but I know now there is nothing he can do. I feel our relationship is doomed and if I am actually [to] make it in this business I must get away from him. I don’t know how that will work out but it has to.
On the lighter side, Jack and Leslie were on Headline Chasers on Tuesday and they won $2300 a piece! It was great to see them and hear them tell Wink M. stories I knew they had just made up.
Well, it’s time to shower up and head off to work . . .
More from my old Writing Life blog:
I do enjoy reading your Captains Logs! Especially when l recognize the names of folks in them. I also have wondered where the name Cloice came from. Keep these coming.
Thanks for reading, Darlyne! I’m glad to know there are eyes on what I’m writing and that the minds and hearts behind those eyes get something out of it.
So, I grew up with an uncle named Cloice and a father named Plumer; I think I remember there being a Plumer Boyd somewhere in the Kingdom of Madison, but I’ve never run across another Cloice. (I’m googling . . . . . . . found just a few.)