Dance With The Devil

In 1991-92 I was dealing with my personal commitment to shore up my marriage and in the process of RCIA conversion to Catholicism. I had married Melanie in the Catholic Church and we had been celebrating Mass together for 15 years by then, but our relationship had become rocky and I wanted to try and save what was looking like a split up on the horizon. In the midst of this conversion my mom, Guynelle, became ill with Pneumonia and had to be hospitalized, she lost both kidneys and had to start Dialysis in November or so. My sister Susan organized family in December to start making trips to Lenexa, KS to spend time with her since she was constantly in and out of the hospital with issues. My brothers lived nearby but were wearing out from the constant care issues. In January of 1992 I spent a week with her, she was home at that point but doing Dialysis 3 times a week. I had researched the diagnosed disease/cause for the breakdown of her internal organs, Cytomegalic Virus, it was not a pretty picture but she seemed to be dealing with it well, including the Dialysis. On the flight I started thinking about previous trips to Kansas City to visit family. The one major image in my mind was getting together with them, including our children and having to deal with drinking and driving, including our children! Dance with the Devil emerged out of that proclivity they had in justifying their ability to drink and drive, passing it off as something that was acceptable if no other choice was easily available, I disagreed.....

Dance with the Devil - Douglas W. Fielder

(A) Call the bartender, (C) pull up a stool
(G) Hey make it a double, (F) hell, you ain’t no fool
(A) Cause it’s twofers each night from (C)five until seven
You’re (G) probably thinkin it’s (F)like this in heaven

(A) Right around eight you (C) head for the door
Was it (G) five maybe six, hell it (F) might have been more
(A) As you pull from the lot and (C) onto the street
You (G) take a deep breath cause the (D) air is so sweet (HOLD)

And you’re (A) fooling yourself every (E) time that you think
You can (G) get in your car and (D) drive when you drink
It’s a (A) dance with the devil and you (E) never know who
Might (G) try to cut in before (D) this dance is (A) through

And you (A) might make it home every (E) night of your life
And you’ll (G) hug both your kids and (D) then kiss your wife
Or (A) one night the Devil he (E) might intercede
Just (G) remember when you dance with the (D single stroke) Devil,
you don’t get to (A) lead

(A) Friday night comes and you’re (C) out with the boys
You (G) love the excitement and (F) all of the noise
When you (A) left you had told her you would (C) just have a few
But you (G) seem to forget that, you know (F) you always do

It has (A) never seemed odd, every (C) one that you see
Has to (G) drive themselves home drunk (F) occasionally
And you’ve (A) done it so often you can (C) do it once more
So you (G) pick up your keys and you (D) head for the door

And (A) one night the Devil will (E) clinch both his fists
And some (G) innocent life will (D) cease to exist
But you’ll (A) live with the memory the (E) rest of your life
And (G) so will your kids and (D) so will your wife

Call a (A) friend, call a cab or just (E) sleep in your car
It might (G) not be so easy but it’s (D) better by far
Than to (A) dance with the Devil when you’re (E single stroke) not in control (HOLD)
(Slower) Cause he’ll (G) step on your dreams and (D) then
steal your (A) soul

And you’re fooling yourself every time that you think
You can get in your car and drive when you drink
It’s a dance with the devil and you never know who
Might try to cut in before this dance is through