To everyone in the room, she seems like just a normal girl wearing Vans, blue jeans, and a red hoodie, but to me, she is so much more. This outwardly unassuming woman is not who she claims to be. She is not the woman everyone sees. They see the version she presents because she is so skilled at it. Years of practice have trained her to blend in; to give the people what they want to see. What would make them comfortable, s...
Downtown Los Angeles To everyone in the room, she seemed like just a normal girl wearing Vans, blue jeans, and a red hoodie. They could see she was visibly nervous, understandably so, as were the other four people outside still waiting to be interviewed. “Are you hurt anywhere?” the woman asked. “Physically, no,” the girl answered. “Just shaken. Is it still going on?” “Yes,” said a man wearing a dark suit holding a cell...
We walked a lane in Wales one morn in MayOur eyes took note of blooms on shrubs quite near.We sniffed some sprigs near Hay on Wye that day,Each bush had scents and smells both clear and dear. A whiff was like old books on stands and racks, Each big thick tome could match that scent so strong.And we had smelled a few in bins and stacksThe smell was just the same, we were not wrong. In rooms where we would sit to read and...
The Bee Flats. They'd come up with the name in Paul's dingy basement flat, which always smelled dank and foisty no matter how many Glade Plug-ins Paul threw at it. Jacko always felt a little ill the day after he'd spent time at Paul's, the damp air permeating his already overworked alveoli. The copious amount of weed they smoked obviously didn't help matters. They were proud of the name as it combined their shared interes...
Back when I was young and blissfully ignorant, I loved the leading up and the first week of school. I would get my birthday money from my great-aunt in Ohio for my birthday and used that to buy my school supplies. The smell of opening up a fresh pack of notebook paper and putting it in my binder is euphoric. Don't get me started on the book bags. The one I picked out had to fit my books and the occasional jacket. I was ex...
Thurman appeared to me on a Tuesday, in a wall tile of my newly renovated bathroom. It was a little after six P.M. and I was drawing a hot bath. I perched on the edge of the tub and waited for the water to reach that perfect temperature. I was tired. Worn out. Exhausted. My day had started just like any other day. Alarm at five A.M. got dressed in the dark, scurried out the door by five-thirty-five to open the cafe by six...
“You guys are nuts.” The Skeptic was in rare form as the four men studied the petite singer flitting around on the dim stage. “I mean, sure she’s cute, but in a small-town high school cheerleader sort of way. No way is she this smoking’ hot sex object you guys keep raving about. But…” The Skeptic stopped as the singer approached the microphone stand. Waited for A bright spotlight to shine on her, then broke into the g...
The 29th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.The whistling sounds and applause of thousands of excited audience members echo in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, while waiting for the performers. Silence follows as the singer slowly walks onto the center stage.As she looks at her audience the memory of her childhood starts flashing back. Her mathematician mother falls in love with her musician...
"I just recorded this," the woman in a lived-in Betsey Johnson dress shyly said. Then she sang the opening line, "I'm going back someday..." How dare she sing Roy Orbison, I thought, she is not worthy. But my ears betrayed my instant judgement. Blue Bayou soared with new emotional depth, the voice rich and sonorous. I knew I was privileged to be there, to hear Linda Ronstadt sing Roy for the first time. And thereby witnes...
As I leaned back against the bar, the crowd hushed as she walked out into the light. Finally, she spoke. “Hi. I’m Linda Ronstadt.” The crowd stood and applauded. Her smile glowing as she gazed back into the audience. Then, they sat down, leaving only me standing in the back of the room. For only the briefest moment, our eyes caught and held. It was all I needed. I turned and walked to the door as the saxophone started pla...
“They're going to hate me!” “What? Why” “Well, look at them out there. Thousands of people. I haven't entertained thousands of people in my life. Okay,okay. So I sang for a few people in clubs and bars. They were out for a good time and I just happened to be their entertainment for half an hour but these people...” “Yes, these people... These people who paid good money just to hear you sing. That's right, you, young Lady!...
Maybe once upon a time a pretend first lady. The luscious lady love of a sometimes presidential candidate steps up to the mic. "I'm Linda Rondstadt - we march to Different Drums." The Torchy Rock star with her torchy voice and torchy chicana body beloved of young boys into their old boy years. Cute as a bug and tasty as a dumpling she met the guv in a Mexican restaurant. Belting out the rock songs of a generation. Never...
I face this year with trepidation; fearing my next destination.Ogres and trolls -of this past year- may cross a bridge into the New Year.I worry life is no longer a thrill and I'm nothing more than a shill.A shill destined to play in another man's scam; that may be all I truly am.Myths, legends, and campfire stories, so late in life and so few glories,I settle into my routine as paternoster, others step on and off me with...
Have you Ever....Walked up on a fawn so young, it just froze in place, and tried to shrink into the grass?Stood beside a raging stream in full flood, and felt the tumultuous anger?Just run as hard as you can until your body drops to the ground as you gulp for air?Stood on the deck of a ship at sea, and just marveled at the stars?Watched a cow whose calf has died, standing over the body, and watched the tears flowing down...
I have been challenged to write out 2 lists of things to do in 30 minutes. Two lists? Yes. I have so much shit to do, I don’t know where to start. So, I have accepted the challenge and have 19 minutes left. I quickly wrote a list of things to do around the house. Dishes Laundry Make sure the kids uniforms are ready for practice. Basic daily stuff. List one is dun. What will my second list consume of? Things I need to do a...
