Wednesday, September 26, 2007

"A Love Song for NPR", Or: A Dedication for Delilah

One drawback to living in this very small town I quickly noticed, is that I only receive one television channel and one radio station. The radio station is an easy listening station from Jackson (about 20 miles north). I don't even get the local university station on my radio! Just 107.7 Star FM. It seems like no matter where I move the dial, 107.7 is the only station coming through. 107.7 streams "Delilah" every night, so consequently, she's everywhere coming out of every bandwidth at once! I have never listened to so much Delilah in my life. I realize that many people like Delilah and what she represents on-air. Many people call her and write in with the details of their worst heartbreak, or their happiest moments. How their mothers handled single-parenthood or how their rehab is finally going to stick because they found the Mr. Right or Miss Right that will help them through.

Tonight, I have a dedication for Delilah. (Maybe all this listening is making me a softer person.)

Dear Delilah~Four weeks ago, I moved from Washington, DC to a small town in West Tennessee. Tonight, as I flip stations vainly hoping to find something more my style, it is your voice I hear coming at me on a rainy, lonely night. I turn the dial, listening to your voice fading and rebounding, encouraging people, laughing with them, playing music you think will help them capitalize on the mood they're in. One minute you're laughing, one minute your whispering, and then the next minute...wait...just wait...it's. Can it be? Is it? NPR is coming through loud and clear on 90.1, WKNP Jackson? Hell's bells, it is. Finally, finally, I have found my way back through the Interior to the Outer World. I can now wake up to the news of GM and UAW reaching the unthinkable compromise. Of monks burning themselves in the streets of Burma to protest the military junta. To the President vowing to veto a health-insurance-for-children initiative. It fires me up for my day, reminds me that important global and national happenings are out there and making an impact on my life. And at night, I can be soothed to sleep with the sweet strains of "Music through the Night." So, Delilah, I'd like for you play a song for that. A song that capitalizes on my mood--one of relief that I do indeed have options for radio entertainment. I'd like you to play a song for a girl who is a big city girl at heart, trying to be happy with small town life. But if it's by Celine Dion, Nick Lachey, Martina McBride, or Shania Twain, I just don't know if you and I can be friends anymore. I'll try, but I don't know.

Goodnight, Delilah. Goodnight.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

This cracked me up!! I love your blog, I love it (almost as much as I hate Delilah's radio show)!! I'm glad you found some NPR to help you start your day.

holly wynne said...

I tagged you and stuff.
http://hollywynne.blogspot.com/2007/10/blogger-reflection-awards-holly-style.html