Something Was Happening Indeed

Unfortunately it was Row U. All the way right. Realizing that I was going to be looking at Bob's back once he hit the keyboards, as the Copland theme resounded, I slipped down to Row E middle. E for Excellent, as was Bob's performance. First 6 songs on guitar, including some Neil-like leads on Watching the River Flow. Bob's voice was rich, deep and evocative. I was not initially impressed with the song selection - too predictable, except for "I Believe in You" and of course moving Watchtower up in the set list in order to close with Mr. Jones, which was stunning in its strength and Bob's enunciation. Now, two days later, I realize that I saw a gem of a show.

A personal highlight was being very comfortable in a sixth row seat that no one showed up for. Of course, once the show began, the fascist ushers carefully examined everyone's ticket as they arrived fashionably late. Even the morons who showed up at 9:15, just in time for the encore. Bob began at 7:45 with a show announced for 7:30 with no warmup. The pavilion was half empty, except for the 10,000 people who paid $14 for lawn seats a quarter mile from the stage. Of course there were no cameras set up for the big screens. A friend who did the lawn thing afterwards told me that the sound was great despite Bob looking like an invertebrate microscopic insect from the distance. The bowl filled up as Bob played fast and furious, spitting out "sometimes even the President of the United States has to stand naked" to absolutely no response from a crowd dousing themselves with $10 Fat Tire Pale Ales.

Anywho, back to a nice personal highlight. Across the row from where I sat were two 30ish women elegantly dressed and totally oblivious to the music. They were drinking the 15 $ margaritas, unless they were the $18 margaritas dosed with Grand Marnier. They were consorting with the head usher. Well, anyway, late in the show, many younger folks attempted to get closer to Bob, but invariably they were all turned away by the evil BouncerUsher. Even my friends Steve and Pam were with malice aforethought removed from some empty seats they absconded into joyously, momentarily. Well, here is the moment. Oh not yet. Late in the show, probably around Spirit on the Water, a young couple so luckily unseen by MuscularUsher got into the two empty seats ahead of the two elegantly clad Margarita bashed women - who then immediately called their bouncer over and very loudly announced that they knew those two seats were going to be empty that night and wanted it that way. I was aghast at their selfishness. So? Well, when Bobby told us to walk into the room with a pencil in our hand (my pen ran out of ink in the middle of "I Believe In You" so Ron Drumm is getting a postcard with two different kinds of ink documenting this show) I stood up for something that was happening although most of the audience was totally numb (Steve and Pam told me that they were constantly chided by people younger than us for standing up and dancing during the more uptempo Bobby) So Bob says

"You hand in your ticket
And you go watch the geek
Who immediately walks up to you
When he hears you speak
And says, "How does it feel
To be such a freak?"
And you say, "Impossible"
As he hands you a bone"

So Bob gave me my moment... These two women were not "one-eyed midgets shouting the word "NOW", but I did walk over harshly at them and I did scream, "You're a cow give me some milk or else go home" They ignored me. They didn't even call the usher over. I wish they had. Then I would've had a head start on the 12,000 people who created a momentous gridlock in the Journal Pavilion parking lot. Of course it was still early; barely 10;00. We went to the Frontier on Rt. 66 where I had a large bowl of green chile stew and a sweet roll with a large OJ and we reminisced about an udderly divine Bob Dylan concert, much better than the fiasco at the Santa Ana Casino in 2001 when I was asked to leave the Casino for being me.

July 22, 2007

Bagels & Baseball

So I walked into Rio Rauncho's Bagel shop last week, and here’s this burly twenty-something right ahead of me on line wearing both a Red Sucks jersey and cap. So I immediately went back out to my truck to grab my Yankee-Mets World Series cap. I got back into line right behind him. I gave him that patented sarcastic Nadler smile. Of course the night before, they won and we lost. So he was smiling. I told him it isn't even August yet. He visibly shuddered. So the Sux fan is handed his order and offers a credit card. The young lady smiles and says "we don't take credit cards here." The Sux fan grimaces exclaiming, "I don't have any cash, I just ran over here to grab a quick bite." Well, this Yankee fan interjects with, "I'll take care of the tab for this gentleman." It was just a couple of bucks, but much better was the eternal knowledge that I enabled a Red Sox fan to attain bagel. He turned to me and said, thanks so much." I trust it was just a normal bagel with cream cheese. I didn't ask. But as the girl handed burly Sux fan his bagel I reaffirmed the eternal truth that we hold deep to our souls. I declared, "You are welcome, but you still suck."

I'm thinking about my classmates from the Jamesville-DeWitt High School Class of 1970 who are reunionizing this weekend in upstate New York. I regret that I could not attend, so I will post this info that I have already shared with several classmates:

We invested our summer vacation funds into a gala trip to Florida to celebrate my Mom's 90th B-Day on June 15th., complete with a surprise party at Pat Galluppi's Ristorante in Pompano Beach arranged by the most famous and favorite sister Franny Gail Nadler Chiarella. I will indulge you in catching up with forty years of life...

Life has been good. We; myself, Margaree Elizabeth Keller Nadler, a/k/a Betsy, my wife, and our kids who are now totally adults, Rebecca and Matthew, have lived and thrived in New Mexico, the 48th State of the Union. I regret that we will not be able to attend the 40th reunion; I know it will be quite the event but c’est impossible pour Les Nadlers…which reminds me that our son Matthew Nicholas Raymonde Nadler, a Coast Guard Fireman, 1st. Class, stationed in lovely San Diego, is having a truly authentic affair with a lovely French girl…the irony being that one particular French teacher fairly emasculated our son in Freshmen and Sophomore French class at Albuquerque Academy not too long ago… Well it was many years ago that I copied everything off of John Metz in Ms. Jensen’s French class…and it was I who replaced the dialogue tape in the language lab with Jimi Hendrix’s “Are You Experienced” tape…or so I recall…were there cassettes in 1967? Well, thanks for asking…our daughter Margaree Rebecca “Becky Pickles” is a 25 year old living at home writer/director/actress artiste type; that mostly inherited from Mom…Betsy and I have created a home and house here on the West Mesa looking down on Albuquerque; which is deservedly famous as a Neil Young song and the hometown of Johnny Guitar, the titular character of one of Nicholas Ray’s more essential films… I have been very fortunate and lucky to have experienced the stability of a solid marriage, raising two wonderful humans, romping with several large breed dogs, one who sadly went to heaven recently…Ender, a good boy, a strong and vital Golden…his kid sister Arwen survives him with us, although she is a tad “emo,” she is very loving and quite beautiful. “Well, a little bit furthur and we might have the time to say how do you do before we’re left behind." The most idiosyncratic and rather special aspect of my life has revolved around the Grateful Dead. “How do you do?” 47 shows…most of them in CNY in the 1970’s…and now the daily obsession of the Sirius Satellite Radio channel that plays Jerry & the Boys 24/7…it’s all I can do to sometimes change it up and listen to The Boss…Yes, life has been good; I’ve coached history and writing at Albuquerque Academy for twenty-six years now (after a previous seven year stint at Sherburne-Earlville HS in central New York), and I have taught basketball to all of our teams ranging from 8th grade to the Varsity under the tutelage of Coach Mike Brown, a New Mexico legend. We won six straight State Championships from 1989 - 1995; what a ride that was. One of our ex-players, Mr. James Borrego, is now Monty Williams' assistant coach with the New Orleans Hornets.…I did an apprenticeship at Sherburne – Earliville High School in the late 70’s/early 80’s, there and then I met the love of my life and when I proposed Betsy said “Yes, but only if I promise to leave New York state of mind before too long…one year after we wed, Becky Pickles was born just east of Smyrna, we loaded up the Ford Econoline and moved to Albuquerque…the rest, as we like to say…is history...perhaps this is a place to continue the chronicle...