For many years, Art Thieme and I split an evening once a year at the Cafe Carpe in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. Eventually, the Carpe moved to Madison, Wisconsin for a couple of years, and I ended up doing an evening on my own, there. Art was up north on vacation somewhere with his wife Carol and son Chris. It felt strange, singing at the Carpe without Art. But, shortly after I started the first set, who walks in the door but Art, Chris and Carol! It was a great pleasure to see him.. and made us even, as I had surprised him a few years ago when the Carpe was in Fort Atkinson, and he didn't know I was home. Art, Chris and Carol settled in, sitting by my family.
And when I sang the line:
"I'm getting kinda tired of shooting old pop bottles Out at the sand and gravel with my Uncle Dean" from a song I wrote, Caroline, Dean lit up. Dean wasn't really my uncle, but we all called him that. Fit the song better, anyway. Dean was really pleased that I remembered the times he took me out to the sand and gravel pits to target practice when I was 14. He was part of the fabric of my life. And until further notice, still is.