Don McLean American Pie

My wife and I are celebrating our 23rd anniversary. Tonight we locked up the dogs and cats and horse and goat and barn and sheds. We went into Easton and ate at a fine place. A big restored old colonial a half block from the Tidewater Inn, in the center of town. I don't know how to pronounce what I had, but it was good. Wife had called ahead for our reservation and warned them she was a vegan. Whereas I am a vague an. She had a nice chef's creation. And we had champagne. Wife takes a half glass about twice a year. We had tickets for the Don McLean concert at the Avalon right across the street. We lingered over dessert and coffee, and almost missed the opening song. When we picked up our tickets at will call, the nice lady told my wife she had something for her. Along with our front row center tickets the lady handed my wife a cool black baseball cap with red stylized initials "RC". She said that Robert Cray wanted to thank her again. I said "What?" Apparently, wife had bought Robert and his ensemble their carry-out the last time she was at the Avalon. Is wife hanging out there a little too often maybe? And I thought I was a starstruck fan. Front row. The instant we sat down, the lights went down and the show started. McLean looked old. Of course! The generation lost in space is old. He had four other players in his band. They were geezers too. Do I look that old? Keyboard, bass, drums, lead guitar. McLean had this beautiful bodacious Martin D- 45 on a stand beside him on the stage. But he was playing this old big box Gibson, he had borrowed. He explained that the Martin had had it's neck broken by the airlines. I guess he was just displaying it on the stage out of sadness. I wish he would have had the Martin for the show. Don't get me wrong, the Gibson was a nice guitar. It was a big old dreadnought with a spruce top that was so brown it must have been 40 years old. I never saw McLean adjust one tuning peg the whole show. He couldn't have done that with the Martin. But for that singer- songwriter ballad style of clean vocal and guitar the Martin would have been better. Plus the necks are different and I'm impressed that he played the borrowed guitar so well. But he's been doing shows like this- singing the same songs for 42 years! He never does a show without singing American Pie. And he sings it like he means it every time. I was so impressed by him that I am writing to you now when only a day or two ago I was so seeped in ennui i couldn't have written one word on a napkin. As I write this I am still in my sport coat and black dress boots and Christmas shirt. I'm actually in the world again. If it's not too windy tomorrow I will fly up to Massey in the CherOHkee to a hangar Christmas party. Wife may come too. She's been away a bit, helping out her dad and I'm so glad she's back. This has been the nicest anniversary ever. And next weekend is live music and friends in Fredneck. Followed by a big bon fire here on Sunday. I guess I'm back. I wonder if wife will let me wear her new ball cap to the fly in tomorrow. LLITTY :::::+:::::