Detroit Train

Once or twice a year we have a very special night out and visit a couple of very special people in the small but charming little Michgan town of Chelsea.

About an hour from my East Lansing home, Chelsea lies about 40 minutes south and 20 minutes east of here. Last Friday night 8 of us set out for a couple of special treats. First we headed to the Common Grill for what is always a stellar meal.

Chef Craig Common always manages to be creative without being fancy. Fresh seafood is offered as "simple fish" and it IS simple, but it is not plain. He also offers a nice assortment of steaks and pasta dishes. Again, these meals are always a thoughtful mixture of fresh ingredients, but the flavors are combined with the idea of creating a rich melange of complimentary flavors, not in order to show off how exotic the meal can be. I have always been pleased and satisfied with the meals he creates, and look forward to my next time back. If you're ever in Michigan, The Common Grill is a place you must visit.

After dinner we hustled across the street to The Purple Rose Theatre. The Purple Rose was founded in 1991 by Jeff Daniels, a Chelsea native who had acted in New York and Hollywood, and decided to return home to Michigan to establish a regional theater "dedicated to producing the New American Play and creating opportunities for Midwest theatre professionals."

For the last few years Jeff has been performing "live and unplugged" on stage as a fund raiser for the theatre. Over 30 years he has been playing guitar and writing songs. He's written a selection of clever, moving, funny and entertaining songs which he performs accompanying himself on guitar. His songwriting is very good, and his charm and humor in performance are extraordinary. This is the third year we've attended on or around the New Year.

This year we were seated in the 2nd row, stage right, right about in the middle. Jeff has a way of putting poignant pauses in his songs, right before he delivers a punch line. As he waits to deliver the line, he often peers over to the right, a knowing grin on his face, and nods as if to say "you know what I'm talking about."

Now I'm sure I wasn't the only one, but I was sure all night long that he was looking right at me. So when he broke into a song called "Detroit Train", and started saying "Now every train needs a conductor, and I'm playing the guitar," I wasn't surprised when he looked my way and said "You. Come on down here."

Well, it didn't take me long to get up on stage. I fumbled around a little, and then went back and stood by Jeff's chair as he continued his vamp on "Detroit Train."
He pointed to a wooden whistle on a little table to his right, and then had me sit in the chair with the microphone as he stood up. Well, the train started chugging to the rhythm of his guitar, and as he pointed to me, I was to blow the train whistle. After a bit I didn't need him to point. The train went faster, it went slower, it went up a hill and down in the valley. I was having a blast, getting in to the fun and the rhythm of the song. My wife told me afterward that Jeff was smiling too. I know I sure had fun.

In the lobby after the show, a few people asked me whether we had rehearsed, or whether it was all spontaneous, which made me feel pretty good.

I wanted to talk with Jeff some more after the show, but he was surrounded by a throng of people, so we headed back to the Common Grill for dessert (an absolutely wonderful home made vanilla bean ice cream.)

A night I'll remember for a long, long time.

Thanks, Jeff, for letting me play.