Nine Feet of Air

[Intro] [vast tiled reverb, shimmering xylophone over a low synth swell] (spoken, unhurried) One long blast means everybody out. [whistle — one long blast, far away] [Verse 1] [talk-sung, laid back] October. I still keep the key. Gate sings on its hinge like it knows me. Whistle on its hook by the tall white chair, lane ropes coiled in the equipment cage. Pace clock stopped, red hand straight down. I follow the painted line, walking down. [Bridge] [slow waltz in 3/4 — xylophone lead, soft jungle percussion] One-two-three, ballet leg. One-two-three, hold. Scull till your wrists sing. Do as you're told. Flamingo. Oyster. Tuck, roll, and breathe. We swam to a record with palms on the sleeve. (ah...) (ah...) [Verse 2] [talk-sung] 'Sixty-four: we sewed the sequins on ourselves. Gelatin in our hair, set hard as shellac. Rubber petals on our caps, nose clips on a string. The PA played marimbas while we spun. June, Dorothy, the Kowalski twins — Dot's in Phoenix now. June is gone. Nobody wrote the routine down. Why would we? I'm the only paper it's written on. [Bridge] [the waltz returns, bigger — stacked girl-group harmonies, tambourine high] One-two-three, ballet leg. One-two-three, hold. (we're with you) (we're with you) Eight of us opening like one white flower. Arms in a fountain. Chins to the sky. Hold your breath, and the water holds you back. (we're with you) (we're with you) [Build-Up] [drums gather, velvet synths swell, tambourine doubles] Deep end. Dry tile. The marker says nine. Knees bend. Toes point. Arms to the line. (one long blast) [whistle] [Chorus] [full wall of sound, epic, tambourine way up front] Nine feet of air — I still hold my breath down here. Nine feet of air — point your toes like the water's near. Hum me the marimba part, I keep the counts, I know them by heart. Nine feet of air, nine feet of air (everybody out... everybody out...) [Outro] [the wall of sound drains away — basin reverb, lone xylophone] (spoken, a little winded, smiling) ...and everybody out. (ah...)