Root to Head

Last night I said to a friend: "I wrote something recently, about Wenatchee, and how someone needed to shake it up, 'root to head'. I later thought, 'root to head?' and while I didn't want to use 'top to bottom', root to head came to mind and i just wrote it down...but now I'm thinking, 'IS there anything that has a root AND a head? 'root to head'? so I don't think it works. But I was wondering, do YOU know of anything that has a root and a head?"

My friend was silent for a moment. He said, "You mean an animal or plant?" I said yes, probably a "plant". Something with a root and a head.

He said maybe the Venus Flytrap because they actually eat things, and it has a root. "Is the top part called a 'head'?" I asked. "No." he said. "Well, is there anything else that you can think of that has a root and head?"

Silence again. Then a serious, "Yeah! Lettuce. It has a root and a head." At that we both started to giggle and then ended up in hysterics. We were laughing so hard we could hardly breathe. Someone needs to shake this town up, ROOT to HEAD! and we were both imagining the powerful and serious image of a head of lettuce. Then he said, laughing while he tried to get it out... "Broccoli..." and at that we busted up. We were laughing so hard we were out of breath. We imitated fierce and strong threats of shaking things up root to head, holding imaginary lettuce or broccoli in our hands. Then we were making proposals for an advertising campaign, and then imagining cartoons with someone listening seriously until the root to head part and then their expression turning to bewilderment, a question mark in the balloon above their head. We almost drove off the road when he said, "...ha, ha, ha,...BRUSSEL SPROUTS!" I said, with tears in my eyes, laughing still... "Of all the VEGETABLES...the leafy greens." And he was dying. It was the wrong image I guess, but kept us in stitches for 20 minutes or more. We went over cauliflower, rutebagga, and I said, seriously in a mean voice, "Wenatchee stinks...It's time to shake up these cabbage patch kids." Anyway, I guess you had to be there.

I was thinking I might have to edit my "root to head" descriptor in the last post, but now that I know it fits SOMETHING, even though it's funny I'm leaving it. He said, "Oh, here's one that's a little better...Sunflower." "It's better than brussel sprouts," I said.

I was with another musician who is a creative type so we were hamming it up and I knew he was seeing the same visuals I was seeing. We had finished working on some music and he was taking me back home.

I haven't completely nailed down details with attorneys yet. I've been talking a lot about stuff and paid for services, but no retainer yet, so I figure until we actually sign, I'm a free woman and free to write. After I sign though, I sign over my voice.

Temporarily.