I would wager that most people, especially American folks, know of the character, Tom Sawyer from Mark Twain's novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. In summary, Twain's telling of Tom's adventures is the coming-of-age tale of a smart, popular, likeable, mischevious boy's journey through universal conflicts, ranging from opportunistic manipulation (getting friends to whitewash the fence) to the effects of jealousy, devotion, and sacrifice in matters of the heart (Amy Lawrence and Becky Thatcher); from the relationship beween decisions made and both intended and unintended consequeces (the "drowning" incident and it's effect on, in particular, Aunt Polly), to integrity versus expediency (doing what's right versus doing what initially seems easiest regarding the murder of Dr. Robinson).
Most of you who know my Tom Sawyer know that he dabbles in music, or more specifically, in playing drums. I only use the phrase "dabbles in" to illustrate the actual amount of time, energy and resources he puts into drumming.** In truth, he is VERY good, and if playing drums paid the bills...well, who knows? My Tom Sawyer might be another Buddy Rich, Keith Moon, John Bonham, or Neil Peart.
Neil Peart happens to be the drummer for the Canadian rock band RUSH, perhaps best known for the song "Tom Sawyer." Peart also happens to be one of the writers of the lyrics to "Tom Sawyer," which are as follows:
A modern-day warrior
Mean mean stride,
Today's Tom Sawyer
Mean mean pride.
Though his mind is not for rent,
Don't put him down as arrogant.
His reserve, a quiet defense,
Riding out the day's events.
The river
And what you say about his company
Is what you say about society.
Catch the mist, catch the myth
Catch the mystery, catch the drift.
The world is, the world is,
Love and life are deep,
Maybe as his eyes are wide.
Today's Tom Sawyer,
He gets high on you,
And the space he invades
He gets by on you.
No, his mind is not for rent
To any god or government.
Always hopeful, yet discontent,
He knows changes aren't permanent,
But change is.
And what you say about his company
Is what you say about society.
Catch the witness, catch the wit,
Catch the spirit, catch the spit.
The world is, the world is,
Love and life are deep,
Maybe as his eyes are wide.
Exit the warrior,
Today's Tom Sawyer,
He gets high on you,
And the energy you trade,
He gets right on to the friction of the day.
When asked to briefly describe the meaning of his lyrics, Peart once responded,
"Tom Sawyer was a collaboration between myself and Pye Dubois, an excellent lyricist who wrote the lyrics for Max Webster. His original lyrics were kind of a portrait of a modern day rebel, a free-spirited individualist striding through the world wide-eyed and purposeful. I added the themes of reconciling the boy and man in myself, and the difference between what people are and what others perceive them to be - namely me I guess."
I picked Tom Sawyer for my husband's pseudonym for a combination of all of the following:
-The name Tom Sawyer, to me, represents, as Peart himself stated of the song, "...the theme of reconciling the boy to the man..." I have seen this fascinating process, thus far, with my own eyes in my own Tom Sawyer. I love him all the more having witnessed the growth he has experienced, the challenges he has overcome, and the sacrifices he has made on behalf of our family, and on behalf of this country, in his own journey of boy/man reconciliation.
-The first line of the song is a "A modern day warrior..."
-Tom is a HUGE fan of Neil Peart and of RUSH.
-I REALLY like the song!
-I am a big fan of Mark Twain.
-Tom's heart may belong to Becky (that's me, by the way); his body may be rented out to the US Government right now; his mind, however...well, his mind is his own!
-Tom and I both know that "changes aren't permanent, but change is."
:o)
**Props to David Cook, Julie Watrous, and OCJ supporters who made it possible for him to even "dabble." We are grateful and we appreciate your generosity
