Patrick Sky is a gem as a writer, singer, performer and person. I have known Pat for about 40 years. Way back in NYC, he was very kind and encouraging to a kid who was starting to learn the ropes in music. There are few performers I study when they are on stage, but Pat is one I watch, listen to and heed. He is the guy who taught me about set pacing, change-ups and 'reading' an audience. I am indebted to him for showing me how to be 'professional' on stage and how to communicate with an audience.

Patrick is also an inventor. He invented the guitoilet.

He is the funniest man I ever met. The only guy who ever made me spew beer all over a table and fall to the floor laughing.

I should tell you about flashburn gunpowder. I have no idea where we were. I recall there were about six of us and we'd gone to the country for a weekend to someone's cabin. Patrick was gonna show me how to shoot a muzzle loader. There was some flashburn powder about which I knew nothing. My experiences with weapons had been pretty much restricted to the British .303, .22, FN C-1 and FN C-2 rifles, so I knew about gun safety and shooting. Little did I know . . . .

Pat was kind enough to try to explain about flashburn powder. However, at the best of times I ain't too bright, so Pat decided to show me instead.

With us that weekend was a fellow who will remain unnamed, but for whom Pat held a dislike. Adjectives to describe the dislike escape me. It bordered on--well, it was LOTS of dislike. Pat had noticed that the guy smoked, so he put an ounce or two of the powder in the bottom of an ashtray and when the guy asked for it, Pat passed it to him lickety split. The fellow then put his smoke into the ashtry to extingiush it. WHOOOOOSH. I will leave the rest to your imagination. It didn't end there. The fellow wanted to fire the muzzle loader. Pat laboriously explained how to hold the rifle, how to aim and that he should keep it firmly tucked into his shoulder. Pat also put the powder load in. I had never until that day seen anyone knocked flat on his ass from firing a rifle.

His social conscience is second to no one's, and his ability with song lyrics is remarkable. I love the guy. Always have and always will. He and I have been back in touch lately, and I have great hopes that we'll be able to touch base in real life in the next year or two.