Nineteen Again in Grand Central Station - Killglare Riley
Channel: Killglare
Date: 02/01/2014

Do you remember what it was like when we were nineteen, and couldn't tell anyone?


Sources

Bobbi and Sandi Cote Witacre Interview - http://storycorps.org/listen/bobbi-and-sandi-cote-whitacre/
Henry Belcher Interview - http://storycorps.org/listen/henry-belcher-and-major-a-mason-iii/
Mary Fisher, A Whisper of Aids - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vTKDFcRDLY
Michael Wolmetz and Debora Brakarz Interview - http://storycorps.org/listen/michael-wolmetz-and-debora-brakarz/

Lyrics

Do you remember what it was like when we were nineteen,
and couldn't tell anyone?

I do,
I do.

And totally,
totally, in love?
I have found the person I'm going to spend the rest of my life with.
We were going to take care of each other
for the rest of our lives.
Yes, same woman!
And she couldn't have anybody else celebrate it with me-
with me,
and me.

And I remember...
and, I remember...
I remember the minister.
Yeah, I remember, oh,
I remember-
Yes, I remember Ohio.

It was sort of like being nineteen again.
And you have to hide it.
But, I couldn't.
It takes away,
the way,
the joy.
It takes away the joy.

Nickels, dimes and pennies and things.
Well I had a buddy, and he used to dance up and down the docks down there.
You dance a little,
you rap a little, like-

Step back,
you apple jack,
sham sham sham now
dig it, Jack!

And naturally,
he taught me,
he taught me,
the steps.
Jam sessions on the corners.

You get to drinkin' and
foolin around with the drugs and what-not.
Yeah, I told em, I said, you all go ahead--
settled down and forgot about dancing.

Protest-
Protest-
Protest.
No one left to protest.
We have killed each other,
with our ignorance,
our prejudice,
and our silence.

Are you human?
ARE you human?

They are human-
human-
human-
a person--
People.
And worthy of compassion.

They have embraced me and my family in memorable ways.

Before she died-
she died.

The third leading killer of young adult Americans today.
[she was killed on January fourth...]

It was, sudden, and,
he was supposed to pick me up from the airport.
And I got to the airport
and I called my house
and my mother said, um, you know,
your aunt's going to pick you up.

Obviously I could detect something in her voice,
there's no way that you can hide that.

And I was like,
tell me what it is.
And my mother said,
I don't want to tell you like this.

And I was like,
Tell me,
you have to tell me--
Tell me.

And she told me that he died in the middle of the night.

And I stood there and watched the bags go around the carousel.
And I waited for my bag
and I went outside
and I got in my aunt's car
and I felt like no other time in my life.

So this is the ring that my father gave to my mother
and we can leave it there,
and he saved up
and he purchased this
and he proposed to my mother with this
and so I thought that I would give it to you
so that he could be with us for this, also.

So,
I'm gonna share a mic with you right now,
Deborah.
Where's the right finger?
Deborah, will you please marry me?

Yeah,
of course.
I love you.

Do you remember what it was like when we were nineteen,
and couldn't tell anyone?

I do,
I do.
And totally,
totally, in love?

When something happens
that makes you feel...
So good--
So kids--

This is how your mother and I got married,
in Grand Central Station.

I have found the person I'm going to spend the rest of my life with.
We were going to take care of each other
for the rest of our lives.
And we did.

Good night,
Good night.