Deesis

Deesis (de’-e-sis): An adjuration (solemn oath) or calling to witness; or, the vehement expression of desire put in terms of “for someone’s sake” or “for God’s sake.”

Jack’s foot was rhythmically tapping as it always did if he sat for a minute. “For God’s sake Jack, can’t you stop the tapping?” Sally said “You’re irritating the hell out of me!” Sally knew he couldn’t stop tapping his foot.

Jack was a blues singer. Foot-tapping was central to his livelihood. He started every song by tapping is foot, sometimes including “one, two, three” if the song was up-tempo. He’d continue the foot tapping for the duration of the song, sometimes finishing with “ow, ow, ow.”

Like all blues singers, there were constant beats in his head that helped him remember the “next” song. That’s why he would nod his head for no apparent reason. He was arrested a couple of times when the police thought he was answering “yes” to incriminating questions. As soon as they determined he was a blues singer, they let him go. Now, even when he nods, he’s learned to say “no” if he means no.

Jack’s stage name is “20-20 Jackfruit Johnson.” It is a tribute to Blind Lemon Jefferson, the great American blues and gospel singer/writer. 20-20’s most famous song is “Carolina Line.” It is about a man from North Carolina whose fishing line gets so tangled he can’t reel in the catfish he’s hooked. He laments how bad dinner will be without the catfish and how his “baby” will have to make “damn old” pork and beans. The song is soulful and down to earth and earned him best fishing blues song of 1990 from “Sports Afield” magazine. 1990 was quite a while ago, but he still performs “Carolina Line” and audiences love it.

POSTSCRIPT

Out of desperation and friendship, I came up with a foot-tapping muffler for Jack. It is so simple that I can’t believe I did’t think of it sooner! I secure a small pillow to Jack’s foot with a trash can band—a 14” rubber band. Although they’re made for holding trash can liners in place, they work like a charm for holding Jack’s pillow in place and muffling his foot tapping when he visits.

The muffler saved our friendship, and I’ve been collaborating with Jack on a new song “You Make Me Quiet Baby.”

Definitions courtesy of “Silva Rhetoricae” (rhetoric.byu.edu.

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