Here’s the fourth installment in another short story that began with one of my songs. Red and Andy mapped out a few songs while the band was finishing up. Andy thought he heard someone say they’d be doing one more. “Just sit tight,” Red said. “They’ll have to tear down their stuff. Stay out …
Author: wastedpilgrim
I'm a writer.
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If the Good Lord’s Willing, Part Three
Herewith is the continuing narrative of my latest serial short story, concocted from one of my songs. Red frowned when he heard the sound of a country band, really more like a rock band playing country songs, from outside. This was bad for two reasons. The first was that he and Andy couldn’t set …
Signs of the Accelerating Times
Here’s what happens when you’re over 50 years old but interact with lots of people who are younger. You can’t believe they don’t know how great Johnny Unitas was until you realize that Unitas to them is Red Grange to you. How comes kids don’t ever seem to ride their bikes? Tattoos. Yecchh. What do …
I Automatically Avoid the Automatic
Eighty percent of the phone calls I receive on my “land line,” as opposed to my “outer-space line,” are for no good reason. Here’s a general rule of thumb: If I need something, I must deal with a recording: If you have a billing inquiry, press 1. If you have a service issue, press …
If the Good Lord’s Willing, Part Two
This is the second installment of a short story derived loosely from a song I wrote. Red Hawthorn’s relationship with his won was not the best, but his former wife was, quite possibly, the worst. She thankfully wasn’t home, which he knew because, after he pulled in the driveway, and waited five minutes or …
Where Masters Walk the Earth
The Masters always has its Blixts. It’s international, full of Olazabals, Jimenezes and de Vicenzos. Augusta National was always slow on African Americans and women. Even Americans have names like Spieth and Kuchar, but America is a land of great diversity. Augusta National has just historically limited it a bit. So do I have profoundly …
If the Good Lord’s Willing, Part One
Here’s the beginning of another short story. There wasn’t anything wrong with Red Hawthorn that a couple eggs couldn’t fix, or, at the very least, help. He got up Friday morning the same way he got up most mornings, which was stooped over and hurting. Coffee got his juices flowing, but thankfully, a blood-pressure …
Life by the Numbers
I’m 56. What does the number mean to me? It was the number associated with the race-car driver Jim Hurtubise, who, in addition to his occasional brilliance, was the Don Quixote of the Indianapolis 500 because, for a number of years, “Herk” tried to qualify a front-engined roadster after low-slung, rear-engined designs had come to …
No One Learns from the Learned
When did we stop believing people who know a lot? It’s everywhere. People are not dissuaded in the least to learn that 97 percent of scientists believe climate change is a major crisis. Person at the grocery store (or on Facebook): “They don’t know what they’re talking about.” Me: “How much do you know about …
Furlough Blues
In case you missed the installments, here's the whole story. Nothing ever worked anymore for Jerry Lowndes. He was on a bad run. When Lowndes checked his email, he found more evidence that his book on the heroes of the Atlantic Coast Conference wasn’t a blockbuster. He had hoped it would provide some aid …
Nightrider's Lament 