" 'Listen, I admit he's an unusual kid but he's really doing OK' Jim told him.
'Well, c'mon, Jim, that's not altogether true either,' I said, trying not to appear ungrateful for his support. 'Rock 'n' roll isn't just a hobby,' I tried to explain to Dad. 'It's so much more than that... it's more like it's the only thing that means anything to me,' I tried to explain. 'I can't help it. I just don't care about anything else.'
To which Dad gave me one of his 'you're-absolutely-nuts' looks.
'And you believe this kid?' Dad asked Jim, who was the wrong person to ask that question.
Jim looked at him with total innoncence. 'I know exactly what he means.'
Dad just glared at both of us. 'You know, when you die you don't go to the Great Rock Concert in the sky.'
I said nothing to that.
Jim ordered a double Singapore Sling and asked me why I wasn't drinking.
Dad said, 'So you're drinking now? Big man.'
Before I could think of an answer Dad asked Jim if he always drank this much and Jim answered, 'No. Sometimes I drink more.' So Dad told me right in front of Jim, that my hero was a drunk. Jim responded by asking my father what he did to unwind. Dad told him he enjoyed sports, healthy interests.
'Ever go to Vegas?' Jim asked. I thought he might be starting to try again, but I thought wrong.
'Yes,' my father told him. 'So?'
'You like cards?' Jim asked.
'Craps?'
'Sure, what of it?'
Jim turned and said, 'Great role models, kid, ya really know how to pick 'em; a gambler and a drunk.' "
'Well, c'mon, Jim, that's not altogether true either,' I said, trying not to appear ungrateful for his support. 'Rock 'n' roll isn't just a hobby,' I tried to explain to Dad. 'It's so much more than that... it's more like it's the only thing that means anything to me,' I tried to explain. 'I can't help it. I just don't care about anything else.'
To which Dad gave me one of his 'you're-absolutely-nuts' looks.
'And you believe this kid?' Dad asked Jim, who was the wrong person to ask that question.
Jim looked at him with total innoncence. 'I know exactly what he means.'
Dad just glared at both of us. 'You know, when you die you don't go to the Great Rock Concert in the sky.'
I said nothing to that.
Jim ordered a double Singapore Sling and asked me why I wasn't drinking.
Dad said, 'So you're drinking now? Big man.'
Before I could think of an answer Dad asked Jim if he always drank this much and Jim answered, 'No. Sometimes I drink more.' So Dad told me right in front of Jim, that my hero was a drunk. Jim responded by asking my father what he did to unwind. Dad told him he enjoyed sports, healthy interests.
'Ever go to Vegas?' Jim asked. I thought he might be starting to try again, but I thought wrong.
'Yes,' my father told him. 'So?'
'You like cards?' Jim asked.
'Craps?'
'Sure, what of it?'
Jim turned and said, 'Great role models, kid, ya really know how to pick 'em; a gambler and a drunk.' "