Sick Stooges

Recently at LuLu’s North Myrtle Beach, my brother and I played Skynyrd’s “Freebird.” I am sure most people are joking when they shout that out at live shows because shouting out “Freebird” is a thing – so much so that a new response to the request – two middle fingers up with a “here’s two – no charge” – also became a thing. It’s always fun trotting out songs like this – and it certainly helps when folks are surprised and tickled about it. Judging from the crowd at LuLu’s, I bet the season in Myrtle Beach is going to be a busy one.

I am a friendly guy – and people kept coming into the store. I imagined that many people don’t ascribe this edginess to a lack of nourishment, but rather it becomes some sort of existential dread… I can see why. If we don’t understand what’s going on in our bodies on a physical level, our default is sometimes to blame our minds for our sense of ennui or unease There is a good reason you feel like bitch-slapping a complete stranger, and you don’t

For some reason – it was insufficient attention and the fact that I was not very disciplined – I never got to the point where somebody could drop a piece of music notation in front of me and I could play it on the spot. ’s mother seemed relieved when she met me in person, because I sounded like “a used car salesman from Van Nuys” when I called for the first time to speak to her. I enjoy playing and singing Elton John songs – and I take a perverse comfort in the fact that he can no longer hit the stratosphere. Somebody once said I sounded like Elvis Costello, but he can sing higher.

With life spread out in front of a young person, the options seem endless and there is ample time to explore any avenue that appeals to them in the moment. If they are lucky, they have at least one parent on board with the concept – and luckier still if that parent encourages them to spread their wings far and wide. We can throw the proverbial dart and move toward one main thing while keeping our hearts and minds open to happy coincidences, serendipity and spontaneity. Can we move in the direction of that main thing without becoming so rigid that we cut off our ability to find joy in the realm of possibility?