30 Days up in Big Bear-Day 1 — August 27
Jet lag….is real. Sat around with the door open, gathering myself and just soaking in the mountains and the familiar smell of pine. Dragged my keyboard out of my truck and set it up, only to realize the power cord was missing. Went out around 4 PM and found this strip of shops and bars. Listened to a woman play and sing “Whiter Shade of Pale” on her guitar with some serious background instruments playing. Not sure I dig that. Make up your own acoustic version, bring something unique to it. She had a nice voice.
I walked into a small Mom and Pop music shop and the owners, a couple in their 40‘s seemed engrossed in some book work behind the counter. They were so engrossed they didn’t seem to see me. I saw a sign that read, “THIS IS NOT A TOY STORE, these are musical instruments, watch your kids!” It was lucky for them I didn’t have my kids with me. I would have had a four piece band playing four different instruments and me singing back up. The man saw me and I got a universal power cord. She rang me up and over her glasses, asked me for my ID when I pulled out my debit card. They said it was for my protection. Thank God we have people in this world that care enough to ask for your ID on a $20 purchase and wanna help keep your kids in line! I asked them if they knew anyone who teaches piano. They gave me two names and their numbers. Very nice of them. Walked across Big Bear Blvd and had Mexican for under $20 bucks and it was pretty good. You just roll the dice when you’re out of town. Yelp helps but it’s not always accurate. I called and left VM’s with both the piano instructors. One called back and she said she didn’t TEACH piano, she TUNED piano’s. I drove off and found a secluded spot overlooking the mountains around dusk and just sat till the moon came out. I wanted to howl at it but thought better of it. I took my pocket knife out and made sure I could open it fast, you know, in case a Big Bear or Mountain Lion came along.
I came back and hooked the new power cord up. It didn’t work. It wasn’t so universal after all. Then I noticed some of the keys were stuck. I may have damaged them driving around hell’s half acre with it in the back of my truck. I’ll have to take it apart tomorrow.
I watched True Grit and went to bed around midnight. I woke up in the middle of the night, thinking, “Wait a minute, I had a really nice padded case for that keyboard!” I laid there, wondering where it went, backtracking to all the places I’ve been. I bet the power cord is in there and I bet the keys would have been protected if it was in there. This is what happens when you move around so much. You lose track of things. First day up in Big Bear. Happy Birthday today, August 28, Adam. Hey, you didn’t borrow my piano case, did you?
