The Faces of January

The following ballad, The Faces of January, is in regards to a high profile murder case that occurred in California in the early 1990s. I was friends with one of the victims. Enjoy and be safe. God bless.

–Paul O'Connell

The Faces of January

by Paul O’Connell

October 20, 1993

Just an overcast Monday afternoon...

Is how my story begins

Off I go on my own

Completely unassuming

To a place I’ve wanted to go to

For a very long time

Oh God I can’t believe I’m finally doing this!

I’m so happy!

This is awesome!

So, hours later I arrive

Greeted by the sweet smell of the ocean air.

And the bright side of the moon in all its glory.

Almost immediately I’m quite taken by the flamboyant personality of this great land.

And before long I would be taken further.

By one who bore a soul of the high sierras

Sharing stories

Laughs

Dreams

and then…

ya know…

Oh Dear God I'm in love! So sweet to be welcomed this way!

I told her I’d be around to see her again.

But strangely she couldn’t be found.

No one knew anything. Huh..

Well, that’s life and life went on.

Still falling in love with this place!

And I’m heading in deeper and deeper fast!

The personality of this place...

Just totally swept me off my feet!!!

Making visits to the beachfront commonplace,

Getting a smile on my face, taking in the sites everywhere I go,

Getting caught up in an addictive fiasco

Known as the ocean walk five-hundred,

Which is often put forth by the children of concrete and asphalt.

This scene can just make your day if you let it!

It was just a little annoying trying to avoid the droppings of low-flying seagulls.

From sun-up to sundown

And even into the wee hours of the night

Many would attempt with pure heart-pounding adrenaline

Mother Nature’s watery rollercoaster,

Moved by the bright side of the moon in all of its glory

So now I’m in the thick o’ this whole thing.

My soul’s shaped by it. It’s in my heart, my sweat and my tears...

It’s in my blood!

And little was I aware my heart was going to be here

For a long time to come…

It all came crashing down

After being blind-sided with the news

That my one and only from earlier on

Was sent to the other side

By someone with a heart overtaken by the black legions of the netherworld.

The bright side of the moon in all of its glory…

What did that signify?

Why did people give me those looks from earlier on?

They were already among the faces of January.

The sleepless night followed.

Is this a dream? This just can’t be real!

Numb... Numb... That’s how I wanted to stay.

How unkind this is!

A heart so wounded!

A dream so broken!

Where is the love of God in dark hours like these?

I rolled the carpet and welcomed the army of the king’s red and white soldiers

With open arms and into my veins.

The ride home?

Nothing but a blur.

Everybody gets a dropping of a seagull once in a while…

Well, this one...just left the faces of January in its wake.

Now my arms are forever haunted by her presence .

And a piece of my heart is forever held captive by my guardian angel in the heavens.

Sweet rest my love,

Tiffany Paige Schultz

July 14, 1969 - January 12, 1990