You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last.
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast.
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun,
Crying like a fire in the sun.
Look out; the saints are comin’ through
And it’s all over now, Baby Blue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO5LlwDaa_0

My stepdad du jour, Ed, was sitting on the porch of the house across the street. We had just returned to our house after a rather harrowing night where Ed got all mad and went on a very destructive and frightening rampage, hurting everyone in his path. My nine-year-old mind couldn’t quite comprehend it all, really, which is a good thing. In reality, it was crazy, it went on for hours and yet we somehow managed to escape. Now here we were in broad daylight, back to get a few things and leave forthwith, hoping that Ed wasn’t around. Unfortunately, he was over the road, a loaded shotgun in his hands, cocked and aimed straight at us. The words I still remember him shouting to us were almost verbatim:

"You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last.
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast."

Isn’t it incredibly amazing how there seems to be a song for almost every situation imaginable?

Whenever I hear the old Bob Dylan song, memories of that long night of terror and the following day just rush back in living color, big as life, scary as hell. Strangely though, the song makes it seem like the situation we went through was not unique and not quite as crazy as it was.  Which is to say there are other people who have experienced similar ordeals. This notion is oddly comforting in a morbid kind of way. Also, it’s a ballad, which further softens the blow.  And Bob Dylan, how could you not love Bob Dylan? He’s an amazing storyteller and a genius. He just musicalizes all your deepest emotions and makes it all right.

Strike another match, go start anew
And it’s all over now, Baby Blue.