Impressions and Reflections

By Peter Chapel

My song lyrics were a consequence of being a captive in my automobile twice a month some years ago while driving eight hours at a stretch, mostly at night. This opportunity to reminisce made me recall incidents and people who, for one reason or another, left an indelible impression on my mind.

With a small cassette tape recorder by my side, I decided one day to express my thoughts, memories, and feelings. As the words formed phrases and sentences they fell into a rhythm and evolved into melodies that became my form of self-expression for about two years. I never tried, consciously, to be poetic or profound.

Writing in the first person singular seemed the easiest way to go. Taking advantage of poetic license it worked well even when I, personally, had the experience only as an observer. Because I have had no musical training I depended on a friend to transcribe the songs from tape to lied sheet form and piano accompaniment.

Where I used real names, the songs were intended to be a tribute to the persons. Where a fictitious name was used, it was no less a tribute.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 3, 2008
• ISBN: 9781453594797

Peter Chapel

Having The Time Of My Life is a rich account of the author’s life. It depicts the persons, places, and events in his life that he wishes to remember and acknowledge. It shows how everything and everyone around him genuinely enriched his life. This memoir brings back the tiny fragments of his history, which are poignantly remembered for a lifetime. He comes from a big family—thirteen children but only eleven grew to adulthood. He shares the quality of family bonding he and his siblings experienced while growing up. He includes the memories of his sickly childhood, his challenging coming-of-age years, and his fulfilling adulthood. In the first chapters, he features his mother’s letter to him that recounts her personal experiences and remembrances. He tells of the loving family he has, the special occasions they celebrate, their trips between the United States and Canada, the deaths of his brother and sister, and the wonderful times they share. With vivid details, he reveals his first love. He describes their acquaintance, secret dates, and the sad goodbye. He recalls of his pursuit of the girl he knows by the name of Patricia Smith and shares of his discovery of her true identity. Patricia Smith, the girl he desperately sought, was born Lucille Ann Collier whose stage name is Ann Miller—the actress, dancer, and singer. The girl of his first love is a star celebrity who has her own secrets. He shows the loving but covert poetry, music, and messages shared between Ann and him through the years. At age fifty-four, he finally meets his future wife. He portrays the unique bond he has with Patricia “Pat” Mergens – and how their honest relationship came about. His wife, Pat, had been a Catholic nun for fourteen years, who then works as a clinical dietitian at a hospital. She is a college graduate and served in the Air Force for two years. They both understand each other because of the experiences they had; that’s why they have shared a deep and special love for more than three decades already. He has some difficult years, uncomfortable moments, and heartrending times, but they are all appeased because of pleasant associations—the strangers who became friends, the wonderful friends who made a difference in his life, and the affectionate family who loves him.

Book preview

Copyright © 2008 by Peter Chapel.

ISBN:         Hardcover                               978-1-4363-1073-4

                   Softcover                                 978-1-4363-1072-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

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Contents

About My Book

Los Angeles Queen Of Angels (abbreviated)

Ballad to a Live Oak Tree

Because You Were There

Blue Night

Do It Now

Give Me the Simple Things of Life

Don’t Change

(or Stay As You Are)

Had I Mellowed

Haze O’er the Valley

How Lucky You Are

It Was the Dawn of Day

Jennie

Let’s Keep It That Way

Look Over Your Shoulder Jean

Los Angeles Queen of Angels

Marion

Monterey

My Baby Calypso

My Better Half

Phyllis

Rumba St. Moritz

Santa Monica My Home Town

So I Looked Around Me

Stoned in ’73

Tango Intermezzo

The Night of the Harvest Moon

The Ballad of My True Love

(song cycle)

1. The Secret of the Heart-

Shaped Locket

2. The Time Came

3. Laurel Canyon

4. Rivers That Flow to the Sea

5. Hear Me Through the Footlights

The Borealis

The Hills of Paso Robles

The Year of the Child

To a Desert Tortoise

To Grace

To a Hummingbird

To a Winter Wren

Wait For Me at the Fermata

Weeping Willow

What I Did For My Career

When You Come Back

Without Your Love

You Could Have Been a Friend

My Most Interesting Loan

About the Author

About My Book

My song lyrics were a consequence of being a captive in my automobile twice a month from 1978 to 1981 while driving eight hours at a stretch, mostly at night. This opportunity to reminisce made me recall incidents and people who, for one reason or another, left an indelible impression on my mind.

With a small cassette tape recorder by my side, I decided one day to express my thoughts, memories, and feelings. As the words formed phrases and sentences they fell into a rhythm and evolved into melodies that became my form of self-expression for about two years. I never tried, consciously, to be poetic or profound.

Writing in the first person singular seemed the easiest way to go. Taking advantage of poetic license it worked well even when I, personally, had the experience only as an observer.

Because I have had no musical training I depended on a friend to transcribe the songs from tape to lied sheet form and piano accompaniment.

Where I used real names, the songs were intended to be a tribute to the persons. Where a fictitious name was used, it was no less a tribute.

Los Angeles Queen Of Angels (abbreviated)

Los Angeles you’re heaven blessed From days of yore men sought your shore Cibola’s gold and Amazons Have faded to where they began You reign supreme for you the queen Ring out the chimes

Los Angeles, Los Angeles Senora La Reina de Los Angeles

Los Angeles you are the hub Of industry, commerce,

and arts From coast to coast, across the seas Your products

flow and never cease To find demand in all the lands Of the world

Los Angeles, Los Angeles Senora La Reina de Los Angeles

Los Angeles to your esteem You’ve made your children

kings and queens Remember all the stars in lights Who shone

in glory throughout the world They were a light, a guide to all

humanity Los Angeles, Los Angeles Senora La Reina de Los Angeles

Los Angeles though as you grew Your problems have

multiplied, too But in the past you have been strong And set

things right where they belong The present now is not a joke

You have the heart You have the brawn to bear the yoke

And you’ll grow on and on Los Angeles, Los Angeles

Senora La Reina de Los Angeles Los Angeles,

Los Angeles Our