Oh Yeah I Forgot To Tell You

Remember my hero?

The guy that lives in the trailer fifty yards from a convenience store?

I give him the three digit salute. Every single time I drive by his expansive homestead on my way to work. Index finger, pinky, thumb.

He lives on a bend so I begin the salute before I can actually see his mobile home.

Way back in the way back, back in the summertime when it was warm and life was as it should be, I was cruising on by displaying the three digits.

As I curved around the bend I came windshield to face with The Genius and his buddy. It was an amusing scene. They were sitting on his trailer steps, legs extended down over the lower steps, facing into and soaking up the sun.

They looked like two little boys.

They saw me. I know they saw me.

Cruising by in The Big Ride waving my personal salute.

I wonder what they thought.

As I ponder the situation, I know unequivocally that I hope to never meet the man. He is an image in my mind; an icon, a genus, a life beater with all the right answers.

I prefer not to learn differently.

Brings to mind a night from my college days. We were partying hard on a special occasion. I'm pretty sure it was St. Patty's Day and we were in one very funky bar.

We did not do the trendy bars. We sought out dives, we sought out real bars, we sought out real drinking experiences.

Cool bar, lively crowd, pot and booze.

Magnificent.

There was a guy holding court in the bar who looked like Gabby Johnson from Blazing Saddles.

He was sitting in a booth and there was literally a line waiting to talk to the man. Of course everybody was buying him beers.

I was leery but drunk enough and spiritually quested enough to get sucked in.

I wanted answers. I still do.

When I finally got my chance, I slid into the booth, bought Gabby a beer and commenced to talking.

I don't remember what I asked him, I don't remember what he said, but I do remember that I was disappointed.

Hugely disappointed.

My thought process then was no different than it is now. I am looking for magic. I am looking for inspiration.

The man was just a drunk with a funky look who played all the naive college types in the bar.

Obviously he was much smarter than we were.

So I don't want to talk to trailer guy.

I think he is a genius who made conscious decisions not to get chained to a torturous life of meaningless indenture.

I do not want to find out that his life fell apart and that this is where he landed.

I do not want to find out that he is dejected and depressed.

My opinion of him now is exactly where I need it to be.

I can live with that.