The hand cranked victrola is singing Hallelujah

Hallelujah i'm a bum
Hallelujah bum again
Hallelujah give me a hand
To revive me again.

Carl and I sit there on the floor laughing at the music which was about ten years older than we were. We and our friends added verses:

I went to a house and
And asked for some onions
A lady came out and stepped
On my bunions.

And so on.

Out in the woods near the New York Central RR tracks in my secret place the Hoboes had a camp. Carl and I visited the Hoboes against orders from our family. The Hoboes were sad hungry interesting people. It was people like them that wrote the 'Hallelujah Song' back in 1933 or so.

I was born in 1934. I have memories going back into my very early years. Even though Dad had a job we were poor and hungry.

My secret place out there in the woods waits patiently for the next generation of Hoboes.

Hallelujah we ain't Bums. Not yet.

But we are not immune.

Just so.

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My friend Cindy was telling me about a song her grandmother used to sing to her:

"Hallelujah I'm a Bum"

We were going to the antique store because she wanted to purchase an old fashioned victrola.

There were several victrolas available , but on one of the nicer turn tables there was a record (an old 78)

The record was:

"Hallelujah I'm a Bum"

The clerk threw it in free

and the two black crows, and bessie smith.

Song has picked up new verses over the years.

Hey mopaul

How you is?

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translation: i'm doin' o.k., hope you are too m'man

I though you said Ma'am.

Sniff.

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