A dog's world

Dave Van Ronk

Every time I watch Sketch wander the yard, looking for a place to shit, I'm reminded of Dave Van Ronk's description of going to a supermarket with Ramblin' Jack Elliott: Elliott would aimlessly wander from one shelf to the next, and Van Ronk could never figure out what the hell he was looking for. But Sketch eventually settles on a spot and gets the job done.

In the wonderful documentary by Elliott's daughter, The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack, about a daughter's search for her absent father, Van Ronk has one of the best moments. He tells her on camera, and I paraphrase, Look, I can dig you missed having a dad growing up and all that but if you had had your dad, well, I probably wouldn't get Ramblin' Jack Elliott and his music, and I'm sorry, man, that's not a trade I'm willing to make.