History II

As you have read recently, I got a nice history lesson. Well last night I got another one, and this one, was a stone cold blast. As everyone here knows I am blessed to have wonderful friends. Two of them took my wife and I to see Rain last night, here in Memphis. If you don’t know what Rain is it’s a Beatle tribute band, and a damn good one. As the show was getting the crowd ready they were showing things, on a huge screen, that were happening when the Beatles were just coming to America. As I sat there watching all of things that happened, I realized, I have lived a lot of history. I remember most of it, I assure you I have friends who do not!!!

They showed the space program as it progressed, the moon landing; my grand father died believing they were in the dessert in Arizona!! Woodstock, my birthday weekend by the way, the peace movement, the summer of Love and all of the San Francisco culture. My father always told me that San Fran was going to fall of in the ocean one day when the good lord got sick of all them liberal hippies out there!! The civil rights marches, and the shooting of Doctor King. I remember that very clearly, a sad day for Memphis, and humanity as a whole.

Then they started on the fashions, or the lack there of, depending on what camp you are in; the Nehru jackets, yes I had one and was very studly in it. Of course it was blue paisley in color. Damn I’m glad there are no photos of that part of my life. Oh hell, there are a few, but my sister whom my mother lived with until she died has them, and no one goes to Alaska! I had huge hair issues. As a recent example, my wife and I were talking the other day, about my hair. She was talking about the kind of hair I had, and added, “the kind that grows around a monkey’s ass”. I almost died laughing! Damn I love that woman!! My hair looks like I saw Medusa but not enough to get turned to stone. Clear on the top, but Bozo like on the sides. Get the picture? Did you throw up in your mouth a little? Well maybe it’s not that bad, but it’s been the bane of my life, forever. When the Beatles hit I wanted to grow my hair out like the other normal people. Huge mistake. At this time in my life I was young. That equates to having hair, and lots of it, not clear on the top but full and wild. Picture, riding a wild horse through a small brier patch with me being under the horse! God love my Mother, she always told me it looked good. Now I know why my old man always wanted to be home, or be awake, when I left the house. It was the only time in his life I can remember him laughing out loud! I wonder now why I have self esteem issues. But I digress!

As I sat there last night watching all of these people from my generations and those closely to me, it was special. Several times during the night we all stood up and it was fun to watch us get up, popping and creaking. Back in the day, we were jumping and dancing in the aisles. Last night we were quite content to just stand and wave our hands in the air and clap like we were young again. I saw people, older than me and younger than me, all living history. What a blessing. As my wife put it, this takes me back to a time when I didn’t have a care in the world I was happy and carefree. She said it has been a long time since she experienced that much joy. I must agree even if my hair was clearer and grayer than it was back then!

Here’s hoping you get to relive a little of your joyous history. If so, please do not worry about your hair! Just clap and dance like no one is watching!!!

Peace,
The Blessed Man