lunch with lee(PRINCE)

Today’s Menu: When Fans Cry.

Got a text from a friend in Minneapolis Thursday morning.

I relayed that news to my niece, Weezie. “Got some bad news,” I said. “Just got a text, Prince died.”

“What?” she asked, not a question. She was getting ready for work. She went still. Her eyes glazed over. Reaching for her cell, no doubt to confirm what she couldn’t bring herself to believe. Weezie loves music. All music. Her only criteria…just be good. She is the epitome of a music junkie. And Prince…he was one of her addictions.

The blood drained from her face, she blinked away the tears when she realized it was true. Nothing else was said.

I thought I heard a Prince song blasting as she pulled from the driveway. I hoped so. How many times had she taken the scenic route home after an exhausting day at work, his music playing to relax her.

His lyrics could do that. They could move you…to laugh…to cry…to feel free.

I am reminded of a more lighter moment. My nieces and nephew (Weezie, Flo, Peachy and Billy Ray) were getting ready to go to a Prince concert when one ticket came up missing. Somehow my oldest niece had tossed it out. You guessed it. The day of the concert-they all went dumpster diving. All except the guilty party. I will name her later. After holding on to Billy Ray’s feet while his upper half was over in the dumpster…success…they found the ticket. They had a great time. Partied like it was 1999.

I overheard a conversation…a senior citizen was asking her granddaughter what Prince had died? What country was he from? I could tell she was a royalty follower. When the granddaughter explained he was Prince, the musician. She said oh, he wasn’t ‘real’ royalty.

I said to myself, Weezie and hundred of thousands of Prince fans would beg to differ.

He is indeed music royalty.

Got a text from a friend in Minneapolis Thursday afternoon: raining here…appropriate…cue the music…