Last Tuesday I looked at my tablet first thing and saw a YouTube notification for a Phoebe Bridgers’ cover of John Prine’s “Summer’s End,” which is probably my favorite song from his final album. While I was listening to it, I inexplicably started crying. Bridgers’ cover is undoubtedly beautiful but at the time I asked myself why I was crying. I don’t usually start the day crying over ever beautiful sad song I might hear. Since then I’ve wondered if our subconscious doesn’t pick up on subtle clues that our conscious selves deny or fail to perceive.

For me this song will now be tied to this very strange, sad year of 2020, covid-19, losing John Prine, and so many others. And now losing Scout when I thought we’d still have more time together.

The moon and stars hang out in bars just talking
I still love that picture of us walking
Just like that ol’ house we thought was haunted
Summer’s end came faster than we wanted

Come on home
Come on home
No you don’t have to be alone

John E Prine / Patrick James McLaughlin

As coincidence would have it, I wrote a haibun two years ago called: Summer’s End, which mentions Scout; click on the link if you would like to read it.