celebration timespace
My buddy Chris Boulton wrote and produced this short film as a birthday gift for a friend’s son. Described by the dad as, “A little Dr. Seuss, a little Shel Silverstein, and a lot of the good old unselfconscious love,” the sentiments compose an anthem for current and future generations.
I’m pretty happy to have been included in it! I render the third stanza in American Sign Language. (Click the title to watch and listen to the video.) Hale is obviously one lucky kid; I bet he’ll grow up to be okay sharing the wish with all the other children in the world – including us grown-ups with bits of “kid” still in us. Come on ya’all – let’s really make this our century! Do well for people you don’t even know!
HAIL TO YOU HALE TRUE!
HAIL TO YOU HALE TRUE!
TODAY IS YOUR DAY
THOUGH I CAN’T BE WITH YOU
I’VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY
WHEN YOU BURST ONTO THE SCENE
JUST ONE YEAR AGO
YOUR PROUD PAPA CALLED ME
TO BE SURE I WOULD KNOW
“HE’S HERE!” HE BELLOWED.
“OUR BIG BUNDLE OF BOY!”
“AND WE LOVE HIM SO MUCH —
LIKE OUR MOST FAVORITE TOY!”
AND WHEN I HEARD THIS GOOD NEWS
I KNEW JUST WHAT IT MEANT:
THEY WERE READY FOR YOU
READY ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!
[Cuando escuche las noticias
Sabia justo lo que significaban
Estaban listos para ti
Eras justo lo que esperaban!]
YES, YOUR PARENTS HAVE SKILLS
AND THEY FLY WITH GREAT SPEED
TO MEET BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
WHO ARE POOR AND IN NEED.
BUT DO THEY RUN? DO THEY HIDE?
STICK THEIR HEADS IN THE SAND?
NOT A CHANCE!
THESE CATS ARE CURIOUS.
THEY WANT TO UNDERSTAND.
WITH CAMERAS AND MICS
THEY ASK QUESTIONS AND LISTEN
IN DESERTS OR JUNGLES
OR EVEN SOMEBODY’S KITCHEN.
[Con cameras y microfonos
Investigan un poquito
En desiertos y selvas
O hasta en la cocina de Fulanito!]
SO DON’T BE SURPRISED
IF THEY STUDY YOU TOO
AND START ASKING THEMSELVES
WHO IS THIS HALE TRUE?
NO ONE KNOWS JUST QUITE YET
AND THAT’S PART OF THE FUN.
AND THE BEST PART IS
THAT THE FUN’S JUST BEGUN!
SURE, THERE WILL BE BAD TIMES
AND SAD TIMES
AND DOWNERS INDEED
BUT THERE IS ONE THING TO COUNT ON
AND I MEAN GUARANTEED:
WITH YOUR MOM FULL OF AMY
AND YOUR DAD A GREAT SCOTT
YOU’LL BE LOVED TO THE LIMIT
WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!
SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY HALE TRUE
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
THIS IS YOUR YEAR LITTLE BUDDY
AND THE NEXT ONE IS TOO!
HECK! THIS IS YOUR CENTURY
IT’S YOUR TIME TO SHINE
AND YOU’LL DO IT QUITE BRIGHTLY
ONE STEP AT A TIME!