A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor

Norfolk script
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Listen



Garrison Keillor: It's a country of rivers, how lovely their names:
Rappahannock, Potomac, Susquehanna, and James.
Elizabeth, Nansemond, so pleasant to say
As they flow to the sea through Chesapeake Bay

We're in Norfolk, in the southeastern part of the state, south of Newport News and north of Virginia Beach, the eastern terminus of the Norfolk & Southern railroad, home to the world's largest naval base on the world's largest natural harbor, at the lower end of Chesapeake Bay, where the James, the (JETS LANDING OVERHEAD) Elizabeth and the Nansemond Rivers join, and flow to the Atlantic between the old lighthouses at Cape Henry and Cape Charles. About a quarter million people in Norfolk, most of whom live close to a shoreline of some kind. Virginia Beach is larger, and between the two of them, and Newport News and Portsmouth, there's a million and a half population hereabouts. There are aircraft carriers here, and Langley Air Force Base, and some major airports, and so as you can hear there are jets too— excuse me. (DIALING CELLPHONE. RING AT OTHER END)

Fred Newman: Yeah?

GK: Admiral?

FN: Who's this?

GK: We're at Chrysler Hall, sir, and the United States Naval Academy Choir is on stage and they're about to sing a very quiet arrangement of "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" and we have aircraft overhead.

FN: CEASE OPERATIONS! (ORDER REPEATED FARTHER DOWN LINE) — Is that better?

GK: Much better.