A Letter from Melinda Wheatley

This is an email from my friend Melinda. She loves my song, "You Don't Have to Worry"...but thanks to her persistence, I'm officially changing the name of the song to "Dirty Feet".

I was leaving home this afternoon for a meeting downtown, feeling absolute fear over my work situation. It woke me up several times this morning before daylight. That, in turn, kept me in bed until almost noon. I develop horrible fantasies of being homeless and without a car or husband or friend to save me; my kids have gone onto new lives and are embarrassed of their mother's inability to act like a grownup. These kinds of thoughts wrap around me sometimes. I'd assume they do it to everyone at some point or another.

Your song comes on and it's different for me today. Usually, I hear your voice and it's like I'm listening to someone I love (I do), and I'm envisioning you singing it, writing it. I'm usually thanking God for you being you, the usual shit when you love someone and want them to do well and create great stuff. It's part maternal, part friend, part sister. I'll feel the sense of "how cool to know this incredible young man," etc.

Today it was the backdrop for my own music video, the message to a girl who's got a weighty problem. I felt the sense of commonality, that place we all need to be reminded exists for everyone else- that things are a bit dirty; indeed, they should be a bit dirty.

I felt God say I was okay, channeled through my sweet Dave Madden. It was profound and sweet; when it was over I smiled. I'll be okay, I'll be alright.

For this, I wanted to thank you.

M