by Jo Owens
“Break Don’t Bend,” Quote:
this song is for Chris, just trying to get through another day.
“Burdensome,” Quote:
there are times when Fran feels like a bug pinned to a felt board and she’d do anything to squirm away.
“I’ve Got You under My Skin,” Cole Porter and Lou Rawls:
Michiko sings this to Mary. I particularly love the Lou Rawls version because it adds a little touch of lightness to a song that almost borders on obsession, and I like to think of Michiko as a leavening element in Fran’s life.
“No, Not Much,” The Four Lads:
another one of Michi the Tattooed Vegan Warrior’s favourite oldies.
“Bitter Sweet Symphony,” The Verve:
no matter how long I work in extended care, death is still hard, still bittersweet. It’s never easy. Besides, I just plain like this song.
“Catabolysis,” Ueda Kurou (Quote):
“I hope you can’t tell how much I want you to like me.”
I played this for Lily, hoping she’d find her love.
“Our House,” Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young:
any house that has Ruby in it is going to be a very fine house.
“Help Yourself,” Amy Winehouse:
Chris choosing counselling. Good work, Chris! So proud of you.
“This Flight Tonight,” Nazareth:
the beat in this song is the beat in Fran’s head whenever she can’t make herself understood.
“As Good a Time as Any,” Ueda Kurou (Quote):
this song is for Fran because she’s making a really difficult and conflicted journey, as is the person in this song.
“Hooked on a Feeling,” Blue Swede:
a schmaltzy love song for the couples at the end of this book.
JO OWENS lives in Victoria, B.C. She has worked as a health care aide for twenty years. A Funny Kind of Paradise is her first novel.