Mr. Hovi

Neil Diamond got the ball rolling with his TV concert in New York City tonight. The stroll down memory lane got me thinking about junior high at Lakewood School in Kenora, Ontario. I got to surfing tunes on Grooveshark and bumped into some Burton Cummings. Anyone remember Stand Tall?
Stand tall, don't you fall For God's sake don't go and do something foolish All you're feeling right now is silly human pride Oooooh, Stand tall, don't you fall Don't you do something you might regret later You're feelin' it like everyone, it's silly human pride It's like I'm there in math class right now, because Mr Hovi used to teach us the lesson and then play Burton Cummings while we did our homework. It wasn't our first choice, but we still thought he was cool 'cause no one else would play music in class. I can feel the breeze coming through the open windows from Lake of the Woods, just across the railroad tracks. I can hear the bush planes winding up and taking off in the bay.

When I had my wheels in motion

Never did you think of me Fine thing, fine state of affairs... If I had my mind in motion Never would I think of you 'Cause it's my fate, fine state of affairs No one cares, no, no

Ninth grade wasn't much fun for me. The move to Kenora dropped me into a new school, new grade, new culture. And I tried to do that center part thing with my hair and it came out really bad. It was always kinda awkward being the new guy, until high school. I remember being in 9th grade advanced science and some sort of remedial math. Mr Hovi looked over my shoulder while Burton Cummings was singing one day. He said, "You're in the wrong class." That was a good day. The hurtin's on me, yeah And I will never be free no, no, no You took the vow with me, yeah And you spoke it and you spoke it, babe These eyes are cryin' These eyes have seen a lot of loves But they're never gonna see another one like I had with you I think you grow up a lot in 9th grade. Or grade nine as we called it. I know I did. 'cause you saved my soul you came along and took me out of the night time Yeah you saved my soul taught me to fly...and I gave my heart and babe that's something that there's jut no returning 'cause if I have you now I'll never have to make it alone. Anyone remember Mr Hovi? Someone like him?