Kismet

 Sometimes fate just smacks you in the face

    I was making a midnight yard waste bag run into town, and listening to Radio Margaritaville.

    They were replaying a Jimmy Buffett concert from 2005 at Wrigley Field.  Now, 2005 was long before I became a fan, although I admit I knew a couple of his songs.  But I did not know him, or his persona, or the mirthful mayhem of the partying before the shows.

    Years ago, and I mean years, Jackie and I were at a party.  The host was playing a Jimmy Buffett album.  (Kids, those were vinyl frisbee like disks that you put on a spinning wheel and then placed a needle in an arm on it and wonderful music came forth.  Or something like that.)

    Anyway, the song "Down to the Banana Republics" came on and I said, "Oh a Steve Goodman song.  I like his music."

    The host gave a snort and looked at me like I was Billy Bonehead.

    "No, that is Jimmy Buffett," come the haughty reply.

    I countered, "Well that Jimmy guy may be singing it, but Steve Goodman wrote it."

    The host said I was wrong.  He knew his music and he knew Jimmy wrote that song.  The quasi-argument went on until the end of. the song when he actually stopped the record and read the credits.

    "Huh.  Steve Goodman wrote that.  You were right," and he put the needle back down and wandered to bother some other people.

    I might not have known Jimmy Buffett, but I knew about Steve Goodman.

    And, it turns out, so did Jimmy.   In their early days they performed together in various Chicago clubs, singing their folky-rock-country-social commentary music to a growing number of fans.

    Goodman was only in his 30s when he died from leukemia.  I had never seen him play in person, but I heard plenty of his music.

    Tonight the fates came together.  As I was driving, listening to the concert, Jimmy came back from intermission and sang, "Go Cubs, Go."  Another Steve Goodman song that thousands or Ciubs fans sing after every win.

    And I thought....how cow, how great is this.  Jimmy Buffett doing the  Steve Goodman "Go Cubs Go" song at beautiful Wrigley Field. 

     Then it got better.

    Jimmy  did " Down to the Banana Republics", and talked about Steve Goodman and how they were friends.    

    The only thing that could have made my night complete is if George, Paul, John and Ringo joined Jimmy on stage.

    Then the stars would truly be aligned.

Peace and Love