A MUSIC FAVORITE

I like my music. Let me clarify: I like my music to rattle the windows. I like flippin' burgers to a beat and dancing with the mop. I like the steady pulse of a drum and the sweet moan of electric guitars. I like thumping my steering wheel as I drive down a long country road. I'm like the unnatural offspring of an Anne Rice novel, irresistably drawn to the ebb and flow of a sweet melody.

Tonight I pulled out one of my long-time favorites, drenched it in a fog of hot breath, wiped it clean, slipped it into the disc drive and selected #6: Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits.

Anyone who is over 30 and has a taste for classic rock can appreciate the diverse and bluesy style of this band. I have three of their albums in my own collection. Although they have a long list of popular hits such as Money For Nothing, Sultans of Swing and Walk of Life, the less well-known Romeo and Juliet remains my favorite.

Years ago ... back in the stone age ... I used to listen to it over and over again until it finally drove my late husband, Tom, plum up a wall. (He was actually quite good-natured about it since he, too, was a Dire Straits fan.) But, years have passed and I'd forgotten the song until tonight when sentiment started humming the melody and I found myself reaching. So, here's to old friends and old memories ...

All I do is miss you and the way we used to be

All I do is keep the beat to bad company

All I do is kiss you through the bars of a rhyme

Juliet I'd do the stars with you any time

Juliet, when we made love you used to cry

You said, "I love you like the stars above.

I'll love you till I die."

Theres a place for us

You know the movie song

When you gonna realise

It was just that the time was wrong?

[Dire Straits]