I said to my best friend last night, if I had to choose between the fundraiser that I did versus the one I just went to that he did, I would have picked his.
And not because I had no responsibility except to show up either - though that was certainly a sexy alluring feeling....
Here's the deal.
His brother has ALS. HIs brother, like him, was or rather is, a brilliant musician.
What I was unaware of, is that his brother, also like himself, was a songwriter.
Wow. Mental Headslap. I should not be surprised and yet I was.
The bar was a small pub. And there was no room. I mean none. All musicians, a total jam session - I was one of the youngest by far. These folks have known each other for 20-30 years and this was a reunion in the name of doing something special and necessary for someone they all love.
I don't know how else to say it. My best friend opened the show. He did 4 tunes starting with one of ours- which I didn't know he had learned..... Considering how things have been going between us lately that spoke to me.
Then the band got started. The music was amazing. The guys playing were incredible, the singing - everything.
This went on all night long. These guys just played and played. They took shifts in and out - but the music continued.
When I left around midnight ( and for those of you who live in other states, bars close at 4 AM here), the place was jumping. Literally.
What happened next surprised me a little bit but not as much as I want to believe. I was home. I was trying LIKE HELL to sleep. I couldn't shut off my mind and how happy I was. I met a lot of really nice people that I have been hearing about for years in some cases. Faces now match up with names. Some I know from Myspace... that kind of thing.
My gutt said something wasn't right though. I stupidly dismissed it.
Sunday, after All county, I met up with some ladies that I know for a birthday brunch for the new bride. she has had a rough road since her wedding in December so her mom threw her a little get together.
We had a lovely brunch. The deal was that when I left there, the plan was to call my best friend so we could get together. I left that message at 5.
Several hours later, I was actually starting to panic as I hadn't heard back. Not wnating to become the lunatic that I was in December, I was fighting the instinct that something was wrong. I left the minimal amount of messages that I could mentally handle, and poured myself a Vodka on the rocks. Finally at 9:45 he picks up the phone and he tells me he did something stupid and was on his way.
Now, come on. stupid???? That could be almost anything!
It turns out, after an altercation at the end of the night, he knocked out the former best friend /husband of his brother's ex girlfriend. I mean literally knocked him out. This is soo unbelievably unlike him. I couldn't believe it. My gutt was telling me something wasn't right. I should have li stened. Nothing happened to him mercifully, but the other guy - not in such good shape. I was surprised at him but this was a very emotional night and week for him and I know how far he can be pushed before reacting.
By the time he arrived here, I had had 2 drinks to steady my nerves. I would love to tell you how much he had but I would be wrong on any guess. This has been such an emotional roller coaster for him and by extension, though different, for me as well.
We talked about a lot of things. He was in some pretty raw shape emotionally, he was feeling badly about me, and his brother and it was all finally coming to a head.
The fundraiser was an overwhelming success by and large. A substantial sum of money was raised and I was really touched at everyone's generosity of both a financial nature and spirit.
We have such a long road back. But after this week I actually have more hope than I have had in the past 8 weeks.
So does he.
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