Well, tomorrow is the end of the World. I saw the roadside billboard. It has been the talk of the day, all day long, at the Pharmacy. We all bid each other farewell this afternoon. I did not see anyone I needed to hug goodbye, so I just waved goodbye and told them I enjoyed working with each and every one of them, as I was leaving. I came home and cleaned my car seats and changed the air freshener in the truck. I put the old dog outside in the back yard. I had three pieces of bread and a cup of coffee. Now, I am spending my last hours on this rock going round our sun listening to music. My choice of entertainment is a new album from Jimmie Dale Gilmore. He is a favorite of mine and I just love every song he does. His new album is called, Heirloom Music, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and the Wronglers. It is a fantastic listen! I am glad I spent the money to purchase the music. I am sorry Jimmie Dale will not get the royalties before tomorrow. I may call him to tell him that I am sorry for that. He lives here in Austin right on the other side of the hollow from my best friend. I used to be his Pharmacist when I worked at another store.
I guess that old saying, "you can take the kid out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the kid..." is true. I grew up listening to lots of different music, but I think the genre that stuck the closest to my heart was country... I am talking old timey country. It used to drive my Mom crazy when I would come home singing old songs. My Uncle Virgil used to pick me up to go out to the Hodges ranch and feed his goats. We would listen to the radio in his old pickup truck all the way out there and sometimes, he would teach me a new song to sing for Mom. I remember some of the songs. I can't remember all the verses and I think it is best I forgot them anyway, because some of them were a bit on the rough side. Uncle Virgil and my Dad were a couple of Gems. They had a sense of humor that was over the top. You never were sad around either of them. Heck, my whole family was like that. Uncle George was a real trickster. He was one of those quiet types. You never knew what he had up his sleeve... literally. I guess all that rearing and raising up by those men and others is what gave me my warped sense of humor and my love of country music. Those really were the best of times. Compared to these days, I would give anything to be back there. There is something about music and white socks sliding across a highly polished hardwood floor in a cozy livingroom. Dancing with your Mom is not always bad.
Jimmie Dale Gilmore has put out a couple of albums that just will blow you away. If you are too young to remember the 50s or even the 60s in rural Texas, you should go take a look at his music. His previous album, Come On Back, is another favorite of mine. It is a step back to a Honky Tonk atmosphere. My Dad was a veteran of World War II. I think one of the lasting benefits of that War, besides the fact that I am free to listen to this music, is the fact that he was a member of the V.F.W. in Lampasas, Texas. It was really a private Honky Tonk. There was always a cold beer and a good song. If the jukebox was not playing, then there was someone playing the piano. I was too young to drink the beer but never too young to enjoy the music. The same was true of my summer days in Llano, Texas. We spent months in Llano as my Dad worked for vacationing linemen who worked for the Lower Colorado River Authority. Hot days always led to cool nights spending time with friends at restaurants and little family run beer joints. You could always get a good chicken fried steak and an ear full of laughter and song at those little beer joint/cafes. Real cowboys frequented those places. You know the type.... those who really worked the land and punched cattle all day. They actually rode horses while working too. Their headbands in their hats were always stained with sweat. Schlitz, Lone Star, Pearl, and Pabst Blue Ribbon, and even Jax was available back then along with the latest 45s from all the great old country singers. I once had a fellow in a suit and a Stetson give me a $20 bill and told me to go play some songs. I went up to the register at the cafe and asked for $20 worth of dimes. I fed that jukebox every dime I had and played every record in the thing, more than once. After a while I returned to the table and the old man sat there with his mouth open when he realized that I used all $20 to entertain the entire place. I bet that jukebox played for a long time.
Well, I guess that is enough to say except to wish you all a good passing tomorrow. Just ride the wave. When you feel the Earth begin to shake just smile and think of that jukebox playing all night on that fellow's Twenty.
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