Hot rod hullabaloo

I am not sure when it happened or exactly how but I think as I get older I am moving towards Geekism.

I always had an interest as a kid in things out side the usual. I wasn't great at sports and had no co-ordination until I hit 13 so during this time I explored the world of science. Unfortunately I only dabbled into the world of the pocket protector slide rule and not enough to actually learn anything. I just wasn't that smart.

We all look back now on the guy who didn't hang out with his buddies in high school but pursued the academics and wonder where he is. I know where most of these guys are, and it ain't selling cars. These guys were never cut out for the cool bar tender jobs, or the poster guy from the fire department and especially not a rock musician. (Except for a guy named Russ, but I'll get to him later) These guys are now the heads of dot com companies and engineering firms with the handsome 6 figure salaries.

Sure we can say we had way more fun, but tell me honestly how much MORE fun could we be having now that we know what kind of fun big money buys. I suspect we can take comfort in knowing that they still don't know how to have any fun and probably donate 25% of their income to the church... (we call this the Hooker & Gin slush fund...or bail money)

Not too many people were able to balance a great social life and a high academic standing, and it was high school that separated the cool guys from the geeks. That was the four years of your life (six years for Lou) during a period of time where you were most influenced to boot.

I was destine in grade eight to join the ranks of the fraternity of the uncool until something happened that summer. I am not even sure how but I grew a little, gained some confidence and developed a little more co-ordination.

Also I found beer. I found it on the way to a movie with a friend one summer night. We were walking down an alley for a short cut to a theatre when we can across a guy named Dave. He was 16 at the time and his parents kicked him out of his house so he moved into his car ....in there back yard.

Dave had a styling 1969 Delta 88 with a tilt steering wheel, and a lot of rust. Dave had all of his buddies over hanging out at his new place. Next thing I knew we skipped the movie and had Dave "pull" us a six pack of Molsen Golden. Now Dave's place was a little crowded so some of us sat out side on the deck. (The trunk) and I nervously drank my first beer. Life changed at that point.

Years later I look back and here is the break down.

Dave ended up in jail while my geek friends went to university and are not currently worried about the recession. O.K. so my dad was right.

During my out of high school years I played in bands where my colleagues used this as a source of revenue to get through university. These were the guys with the game plan. They had fun and they did good for later in life. One outstanding example was a bass player named Russ who's dad owned a bakery. Russ was a good looking Italian guy who was a body builder to boot. He earned a PHD in physics and now works for NASA. (I am NOT making this up!)

Anyway back to the geek stuff...

So now I have been trying to recapture the sentimental things of my misspent youth. Last year I bought a whole bunch of different guitars cause they were guitars that I once had, played or wanted but could not afford. Music has been greatly effected by technology, and with all the new digital processors and all round cool stuff like re issue amplifiers I started getting the bug...

Now no guitar player with a pulse would think this isn't cool.

But it didn't stop here. With Clem in rehab (he calls it touring with Wyatt) I found I had a little too much time between December and April so I enrolled in a class and got a Amateur Radio Licence. (That's Ham Radio) That's another "hobby" that I followed as a kid until the big CB craze came 10-4.

So now what?

Back in public school I took more than a few beatings for being a bit of a geek. I would like to see some of those guys try to do that today, so maybe this is bait. Maybe it's my way of saying

"come on I dare you, call me a geek".

I will ride up to your house on my 1973 Harley, (no yuppie shit here) over your front lawn and beat at your door until your 24 year old kid answers it (who still lives in your basement) kick him in the ass. Then I'll slam you into a head lock while I root through your liquor cabinet, check out your wife before I leave you with a wedgie that will need to be surgically removed from your ass cheeks.

...However if I get an apology and an offer of steaks on the BBQ I might stick around and help you tune your kids guitar....or fix your computer.

Next I think I'll take up Scuba Diving

# posted by Monty P Marshall @ 9:30 PM