of mileage and men

Yes, I am slyly referring to the John Steinbeck book, simply because I can.
No, it has nothing to do with this post, so kindly rearrange your thoughts.
(smile)

Ihe Kris Kristofferson concert at the Lucas last night started it all.
I was in the balcony, ushering for the sold-out show...
and dancing, of course, to long-familiar songs!
From the first lines of "Help Me Make It Through The Night" and "Loving Her Was Easier", into the lost love of "Me and Bobby McGee" and the sweetly hopeful "Here Comes That Rainbow Again" and gospel plea "Why Me?" and remembrance song "For The Good Times" and my favorite, "Sunday Morning Coming Down".
I may have a new favorite, though: "The Silver Tongued Devil And I". It's not that the song is about a bit of a rogue that has me caught - no, no.
It's the story he told about it.
He'd gotten through most of the last refrain when he stopped singing.
Then he mentioned that one time he was singing this song to his son, who was about five years old. When he finished, he son said, "Daddy, that isn't a very good song." Surprised, Kris had asked what the boy hadn't liked. His son replied, "It's about someone doing something wrong and then blaming someone else for it."
At which point, the 82-year-old legend finished the last two lines of the song he'd been singing for us. Absolutely aWEsoMe!!!
You could have heard a pin drop while he related the tale to us, as if we were all holding our breath. Then, thunderous applause at the song's end!
Absolutely aWEsoMe!!!
My odometer definitely agreed that I had been in the right place, right time.
The mileage was 202020 when I was home again.
(smile)

The next morning, I was off straightaway to Bluffton's erstwhile Sea Turtle Cinema for a special engagement with three adorable he-men, all with much different styles!
First up was the wise-cracking 33-year-old Bruce Willis, fresh from his "Mooonlighting" gig.
Next was the suave, sexy-voiced 42-year-old Alan Rickman, unknown and new to me.
Then was the 39-year-old tall, blonde, former Russian ballet star, Alexander Godunov.
What was the occasion that brought together this rich smorgasbord of males?
It was the 30th anniversary of "Die Hard" - yippeekiaye, y'all!
And I knew I was meant to be right there...
my odometer read 202050!
(smile)

From Bluffton, I drove back over the Savannah River on the Savannah Bridge, but only as far as downtown.
I had a voluntary ushering job at the Lucas Theatre!
Tonight's show was a filmed documentary, "Coldplay:
A Head Full Of Dreams", and I was hopeful of a lot of concert footage.
What I received was even better: the tale of four misfits (plus Phil) who had found each other.
"The truth is, that without the other three, each of us would be kinda screwed."
That line from these Brits sounds much like that spoken by another group of Brits.
"We're four misfits that should have never come together, playing to a bunch of other misfits."
Beautiful description of found family, isn't it?
As for the music, I as surprised to find how may Coldplay songs I knew.
"Yellow", back in 2000, put them on my radar; "Clocks" and "Fix You" helped keep them there.
Then, in 2011, "Paradise", and its tie-in with Ang Lee's movie, "Life of Pi", etched them into my soundtrack. I also loved the music video for this song, with the lost elephant not fitting it... and then finding her 'people' - lovely!
2014 brought "A Sky Full Of Stars" and a video with a Pied Piper parading in the street sense of joy - good one!
Two years later, collaborating with Beyoncé, they gave me "Hymn For The Weekend", this time with a Bollywood musical production - definitely my speed!
But the song that's really rocked me is "Something Just Like This", cowritten last year with The Chainsmokers. Such a wonderful song, with its message of hope for those wanting someone to kiss... for those like me. The animated romantic video - about two coins in a fountain - certainly makes the song that much dearer to me, as does the mention of Superman in the song's refrain.
That particular superhero is pretty special to me.
(smile)

And was this the special reading after that movie?
No; my odometer had 202080 post-Coldplay.
This reading, 202101, was after my first Thanksgiving dinner at Post 36.
(smile)
When the short American Legion meeting was over, we all celebrated our last November in that building by sharing a meal together.
I sat with three fellows I didn't know;
by the meal's end, I had found two guys, Sam and Reginald, who shared my love of things Marvel.
Right place, right time.
I'm so glad I've started attending the Post meetings again!