Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Tired Old Men


Well, I finally showed my ass again. This on an important day, a rams football game day. I still take offense to what the old man said. But I am disappointed by the fury of it all. And as much as I hate to admit it, I was wrong and the old man won the battle. I will explain.

Now, I had had a busy week. Lots of meetings and school stuff, and three shows in one week at Lone Wolf. I play on Wednesdays with Alvin Jett, along with a couple other browndogs, King Slim, Daddy G. Alvin always has the Phat Noiz with him which is made up of Nephew on the bass and Marlin Harris on the Drums. I played until 10:00 Wed, which is really nothing more than a couple harp songs and some banging on the tambourine. Jeremiah Johnson showed up and it was pretty darned incredible when Alexander the Dancer got up on stage and tapped to the blues.

Thursday was a sleep day, Friday another show with Illusions, then Saturday, likely one of the best guitarists in the world, Rich MCdonough took the stage with Rough Grooves.

Creating the right vibe is important and I have ton of time involved in the blues stuff. And I have to tell you, the culture of the Blues is a tad different from the culture of Active Living. In fact, they are book ends apart. Why? Well, I need more sleep, especially when training and working out as much during whatever outdoor thing I have on the horizon. Staying up later is not my thing. Sometimes I forget to eat, sometimes there are people that love to cut loose and encourage the same.

I am hear to tell you that the old man can feel very old after a night at Lone Wolf, even if I roll in at 10:00 PM, I still have a day job and it just takes a lot of energy. So this is why I have relegated myself to Wed. nights only, with an occasional fly over on the weekend shows. It will be up to the musicians and the management to get the vibe down.

Anyway, back to the old man in the Central West End.

I was hungary, been up late the night before and the night before that. I had tickets to the rams game and I didn't really want to go. It was a beautiful day and I had gotten out early on the bike for a reckon up Zombie Road to see what GORC has been doing with the new trails there. Yes, I am still fit enough to ride a mountain bike. In fact, On Monday, the Geezer and I shredded Chubb.

I was thinking something festive to eat so we ended up in the CWE to go to Culpeppers, the original one, where kids aren't allowed (if my memory serves me). Funny how that stands out. I love kids, but apparently the locals in the CWE don't, so the original Culpeppers basically said no to the rug rats back in the old days, remember this. I couldn't find a parking space and finally spotted one right in front of Bar Louie. I was moving pretty quick and had to turn around in order to get to the space. At one point moving kind of quickly through a pedestrian crosswalk. I should have stopped and let the old man and his freaky rat looking dogs cross in front. I know this. But I, like a lot of others before me, took the lane and beat him to the chase. It wasn't at all dangerous for the old man, but it was not polite on my part. I know, I suck.

I am not a bad person, but my wife was famished. I am just sayin. When Janie gets hollow, watch out. I was stressed, I was hungry, I was tired, and I certainly did not want to go to the game. It was round noon.

Now, parallel parking an Yukon is a challenge in itself, especially when an old man with two squeaking dogs sticks his head in my window and calls me a moron. It was like a scene out of a Woody Allen movie for christsake. And I was not happy about it. I wasn't even in the space completely, he stopped me before I could finish parking with...well, a very confrontational demeanor. It was not like I could ignore him, so....I....let it fly. I went Boone County on the poor somebitch with a flurry of "get away from my car old man" and some other expletives aimed at both him and my situation. And I don't feel so good about it either. And what made it all the more frustrating, after he and I exchanged verbalities, Janie kept her finger on the window button and kept me from rolling it up. She was apologising while I was compound bowing my f-bombs.

I know this may sound like I was a total ass. Because I really was. But I was very tired and the old man just happened to have confronted the guy who wasn't going to take it. Had I really caused him trouble I would not have gone off, but his objection was clearly in the grey area. His last words were, "You don't look like you live here in this neighborhood, I am tired of your type coming down here and causing problems!" At which point I put my car in drive and returned home without saying a word. No lunch, no game, I was beaten.

So the old grouchy man beat the tired yuppie from the county down like a Jerry Rice toss out. I lost the day, but will likely return with a better attitude towards the locals there. I deserved what I got and if I had the opportunity I would apologize to the old dude. But those dogs better stay the hell away.

I will consult with the Geezer on this in a dozen or so sessions of anger managment towards old people. Impatience, yes, this was at the heart of it, got to work on that, ifyouknowhatimtalkinbout.

7 comments:

Ben said...

Quite the day. Thanks for sharing it.

The ralph account said...

Well, I beg forgiveness in an uncoventional way. Your chiming in is meaningful.

Phil said...

Ralph, you are very competitive. You are an athlete, and an uncompromising cook (as am I), as well as an aggressive businessman with boatloads of passion (I also know about the passion part), so sometimes it goes wrong. Apologize for the mistakes, but never the passion that drives you. That is a good thing! :)

Phil said...

Ralph, you are very competitive. You are an athlete, and an uncompromising cook (as am I), as well as an aggressive businessman with boatloads of passion (I also know about the passion part), so sometimes it goes wrong. Apologize for the mistakes, but never the passion that drives you. That is a good thing! :)

Phil said...

Ralph, you are very competitive. You are an athlete, and an uncompromising cook (as am I), as well as an aggressive businessman with boatloads of passion (I also know about the passion part), so sometimes it goes wrong. Apologize for the mistakes, but never the passion that drives you. That is a good thing! :)

Phil said...

Sorry Ralph, I wasn't being purposely redundant. I just expect instant gratification and didn't understand the comment moderation. You don't have to read it three times. :)

herekittykitty said...

Guess you needed to think about it huh? If you are crabby, then just own it my bro. Just like that. Its not so hard,