Freddy and I meet after Forty Years

10/20/19 22:35 Bethlehem, PA

I called Freddy yesterday morning.  He was upset that I forgot to call him the night before.  I apologized.  He was starting to tell me stories of some of his conspiracy theories, the Catholic church, the Masons and I was listening till I realized he needed to know I am not interested in the theories.  What time should we meet? “I don’t know,” he said.  Let’s say 1 PM.  Down at the movie theatre at the Steel Stacks.  “Sounds like a plan, wait.  How will I know it’s you?”  I will wear a grey blue hat, there’s an N on it for North Eastern.  I drove to the Steel Stacks, parked the car and arrived a little early.  There was a race for kids going on as I approached the theatre.  I saw this older, tan guy walk up to me. “I was telling those guys all about seeing you and how we haven’t seen each other close to forty years.”  It was Freddy and I reached out to hug him.  “No, shake hands.  Put it there.”  I shook his hand.  “You said you wanted coffee, I have to go to do, pee pee.”  Pee Pee?  He was a child in an old man’s body.  First, he locked his used bike, the rear tire looked worn.  We went inside.  “Graham Nash played here a few years ago.” I saw his performance on Long Island a few years ago.  Actually, he just played here. And he went off to the bathroom and was out of sight.  I bought a coffee and he came back within a minute, he must have assumed I was leaving him.  I thought, we’d sit down at a table or a bench and have a good chat.  That didn’t happen.  We went back outside.  He unlocked his bike.  He was very concerned that someone would want to steal his bike.  He must have lost many things through the years.  Our visit was a listening session.  For over an hour, Freddy talked about a wide variety of subjects.  But he was locked in a world from 1982.  The Karate Kid, Steven Segal, the church, Connie from Bellecrest Avenue, witches, the masons, the devil, Ted Nugent, he was sex crazed Freddy said.  Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Evil in the world.  The Northport incident.  Working for agencies, tearing down stages and Gurney’s Inn.  But while I was with him, he had this child like energy that would not quit, he wanted to cram everything in this time we had together.  After an hour of walking back and forth around the parking lot and keeping an eye on his bike, I said I needed to leave.  “I’m sorry to tell you this,” he said and would spout some controversy.  Why do you apologize for saying something you want to share?  “I don’t want to offend you.”  Hey Fred, I have about 10 minutes.  He reminded me of my mother when he said, OK.  I will time you.  This watch has a timer.  And it was time for us to part.  It may be the last time I see him.  I will call him tomorrow and hope I can get his email address.  Fred may move back to Florida.  He carried a couple of bags, one contained books I should read.  I took pictures of the titles.  The other bag contained a jug of water and another jug of milk.  May God look out and protect Freddy.

Thank you for reading this. 

A Mid Life Crisis that slips towards darkness

. I ran ten point seven miles today and thought I broke the eleven mile mark, but no. It’s amazing how close I was to ten point six from two weeks ago. I’m feeling beat. I can’t imagine how I will accomplish 13.1 on Saturday but with some coffee and will power I can do it. It was so warm today I ran without a shirt on. My back is feeling a little tender from the sun. Midlife crisis, I looked at the CD’s I bought and most are punk bands from the eighties. I remember Ron Phillips and his collection which I’m slowly putting together. The Germs record I lent to some kid back in the late eighties that I’d like to get back, maybe this is my Rose Bud moment? The collection consists of albums I’d never purchase before for instance Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and The Misfits. I know more about Black Sabbath, but the Misfits have always been a mystery to me. Margo Scwardon had a rare 45 of The Misfits back in 1884, the colors of the eyes were colored with magic marker. But the sense that they are evil and like Black Sabbath and AC/DC is an issue I have wrestled with for years. When I was an impressionable young teen my brother and I watched a Christian program. The speaker was young and looked cool and we could relate to him. His message was clear, there are bands that are evil and we shouldn’t listen to them. AC/DC for instance stood for Anti Christ and Devil’s Children. KISS, stood for Kings In Satan’s Service. Rush was evil and so was Van Halen, Running with the Devil was his example. So, my brother and I lived sheltered lives. Walking home in junior high I listened to Back in Black with John Zuenges on his hand held ghetto blaster, disturbing the neighbors as we slowly walked past their sedated homes. Ozzy was evil and I saw the effects on the impressionable minds in my youth in the opposite direction, there was a gang of kids in high school, Knights of the Black Circle who had painted pentagrams on the back of their faded blue denim jackets. Later that summer there was a murder in our town. I knew both the victim and the killer who committed suicide in jail. While he was high on angel dust and stabbing the victim, he told the dying boy to say, I love you Satan. Before he died he sat up and said, I love you mom. That was a summer that changed my life and saw how the power of drugs and evil can corrupt an impressionable mind. The town became synonymous with the killing and for years held the stigma. I will listen to the music without judgment. May Gary rest in peace.