Tales of Bette: Wild Power

Bette On It: Weird Adolescence. Junior Year, May 2003. An excerpt...

"And you're the end all, be all when it comes to song writing?' Bette tried not to be too snarky when she said it.

"I know garbage when I hear it. I know beauty when I hear it," said Ozzy.

As soon as he said it something clicked in her head. "Wait." She stopped massaging his hand and looked at him. "'Hear beauty' or 'beautiful' or 'most beautiful thing I've heard.' You said those things when we've been physical or when I've had an orgasm. Is that why you wanted me to talk in the shower?"

He looked up at her and shrugged. "I'm listening for inspiration. It worked before. 'Bridge' came from you."

Her face softened, "I want to say 'I can't believe it.' With anyone else I would, but, it's you. I know it's true."

Ozzy took his hand out of hers and rolled to the side of the bed. He opened a drawer by the floor and pulled out a spiral notebook with a pen in it and plopped it on her lap. "Here's proof. Start from about ten pages back from the last folded corner page. Take a look."

She started flipping pages. He kissed her arm once and stroked it with the back of his fingers as she read. She found the page with 'Bridge' written on it. There were lots of scribbles and crossed out lines and alternate lyrics. There were notes of guitar tabs that she recognized but didn't understand. She turned the page to see a song partially written called 'Silence' dated a few days after 'Bridge' but it had a big X over the whole thing. The page after that had one called 'Stop Stop' which was only partially written and had another big X over it. Below it there was one called 'Paper Hope' that was short and was more of a poem and less of a song. There were no guitar tabs with it. She turned the page and there was one dated the night of the talent show called 'Light in Darkness,' but it was unfinished with a bunch of question marks and rhyming words in the margins. There was one written the next day, the day they had phone sex called 'Wild Power.' That one had guitar tabs, doodles of lightning bolts, and was more detailed in development than 'Bridge' looked. The next one was dated the same day as their first date called 'Seein' Spots.' That one was also more developed with tabs and had little circles and dots doodled around the page. There were more pages with more songs written over the last month.

"Ozzy, this is wonderful. I--I don't feel worthy of this. On so many levels I don't. You got this, all this, from me?"

He flipped back to the page that had 'Bridge' on it and pointed to a line with an alternate lyric. He sang the lyric to her, "When I hear her voice and every sound she makes." He smiled up at her. "I'm looking for the next idea. 'Keep talking.' 'I want to hear your voice.' 'More.' It's why I said those things when we had phone sex and in the shower. Sometimes you say or do the right thing and it strikes me. You, your voice, always has."

She lowered herself in the bed and kissed him. "I still don't feel worthy. I can't believe I didn't see you. I'm sorry I took so long." She wrapped her arm over his chest and rested under his arm.

"We're here now. To be able to love you and have you love me too, my friend, my muse," he began to chuckle, "and have you here naked. 'Worth the wait' doesn't begin to describe it." He ran his fingers down her back.

How did 'Wild Power' go?

Verse 1:

She was walking on home when I met her

The rain was pouring, soaking, and wet her

I asked if her ride was on its way coming

She grinned, reached out, rode away on lightning.

I saw her again floating through the trees

The wind kicked up, she floated on the breeze

She landed on the ground, light and airy

In her footsteps there grew sprouts of berries.

Chorus:

She brings men to their knees

She does it with ease

Delicate like bomb, not like a flower

...You know her as Wild Power

Verse 2:

She keeps sharks as pets and they bring her treasure ,

Makes poison for fun, sleds mountains for pleasure.

She's lived a thousand lives and knows them all,

Has stories to excite and make your skin crawl.

There's a magic in her no one knows to explain

The water flowing through her knows no restrain.

No dam can hold her, her rivers run free.

All I can hope is that her flow goes with me.

Chorus:

She brings men to their knees

She does it with ease

Delicate like a bomb, not like a flower,

...You know her as Wild Power.

Bridge:

No windmill can stand!

No route can stay planned!

When the Powerful Lady is near.

If you can make her laugh and smile,

She'll let you stay a while,

You'll never have a reason to fear!

Final Chorus:

She brings me to my knees

She does it with ease

My heart is her bomb, resets ev'ry hour

I'll do anything for--

I'm hers forever more--

I know her as...Wild Power.