So I’m in the ill-fated A4 coming down a snowy mountain pass in Park City, Utah on Saturday, right. Jeff and I had just picked up two friends to go back down the mountain to see a free G Love and Special Sauce with Michael Franti and Spearhead show, after work, at the base of the ski mountain. It’s been snowing all day, the roads are atrocious, and coming down around a blind turn the brakes lock, car goes into an accelerating skid because of gravity, and we cream into a maroon Lincoln Navigator that’s coming around the bend up the mountain. It’s pretty much a slow motion head on collision, except we weren’t going slow it just felt that way because we were skidding for so long with no way to get out of the way, and then kissed into the snow bank. Thank God the snow bank was there or else we’d be over the ledge and tumbling down down down a mountainside. Anyways, at this point it would just be a shitty story I don’t have to look into much further, but from here other things started to come to light.
I was really shaken up at the time and so didn’t really notice, but the other car was a “Utah Limousine” taking Leah Thompson to the place she was staying up on the mountain in this private real estate area. That’s right, the Leah Thompson (Back to the Future, Denise the Menace, Caroline in the City, etc.) Jeff gave her a cigarette but I was in no mood for celebrity watching and didn’t think about it at all. The Sundance Film Festival is in town right now so it seemed almost fitting that I skid into a celebrity. Then to literally put salt in the wound, right after the crash the salt truck drives by flinging salt on the road in hopes of preventing the NEXT accident, as well as saving their own ass. But anyways, life is what we make of it right?
We had just picked up Lizzie and Madison when Lizzie’s father, John Reinhard (sp?) came driving by the accident and stopped to get out and make sure we were ok. He told the cop we were with him and told us to come back up to the house after the wrecker came to tow the car away, so we did. The cops couldn’t get over the fact it was Leah Thompson and I wanted to smack them for being so childish, but it wasn’t really on my priority list. So the wrecker comes, Jeff and I are freezing from standing in the snow, and the cop takes us up to one of the most incredible houses I’ve ever seen, right on the side of the mountain, and Mr. Reinhard pours us a glass of scotch and tells us to take our shows off and relax. He’s having company for the night but would like nothing more than to have us stay, so we do, because, well, we don’t have a car anyways. Kerry the live in chef takes care of us and precedes to cook the most fantastic meal ever while we visit with the visitors and fill them in on what happened, our stories, how we got here, where we want to go from here, etc.
Mr. Reinhard owns one of the world’s largest advertising companies and is responsible for the Hamburglar as we as the “two all beef patties, special sauce…” jingle we all know. That was him, he coined that. His friend is president of Sesame Street I believe and when we told him we had graduated from SMU he chuckled and said he’s actually giving a lecture there in three weeks. Haha, small world. There was a filmmaker named Jessica Cole there as well and she chuckled of course, because my name is Cole. “We’re reciprocal,” I told her. I told them about the music festival, they said their son produces music festivals. In fact, on their way up to the Reinhard’s when they passed my car in the snow bank they had just been coming from hanging out with Dave Matthews, whoever that is.
So despite the shitty car situation there was a powerful silver lining to the whole day. Reinhard is friends with Tom Wolfe to, and said he’s waiting for my book, so all I’ve got to do is get it to him for an editing session. He even said he’s buy a copy. In a world of teambuilding sometimes it takes something like an imminent crash into a car to wake us up and converge us with things. Such a day. One of those days where when you wake up you couldn’t possible conceive of what was going to transpire before you go to sleep again. We gave the friends lift passes the next morning and they gave us a stack of Sundance film tickets. Then their driver, Kevin, took us down the mountain about 11:30pm and we discovered we share the same musical tastes. In fact, he know String Cheese so well they used to sleep on his couch when they played the ski bar circuit back in the day before they got so popular. People, just people who know people and meet other people and share things. People.
Following through with the perspective of things, last night my dear Grandmother, Mama Nell, passed on. When I awoke this morning all I could think of was Peter Pan when he said, “to die would be a great adventure,” and I felt excited for Mama Nell to be able to go be herself again. Her body had become a trap, her dementia made communicating very hard, but her soul was vibrant and flashed in her eyes and now it is free. I am sad but I love her and death is not a bad thing. Death is the best thing in fact, it’s only hard for those of us left living. God Bless you mama Nell, you have had a wonderful life and you brought the Dawn to us and I thank you thank you thank you for everything. I love you. I’m glad you’re free to inspire me through my fingertips and my heart now in a way you never could before, trapped in that mortal coil. Tell papa Joe hello for me, and dad too, I know they’re near now. I’m glad you’re reunited, have a blast in the bardos, and if there‘s anything you want to leak back to me I’ll be listening for it. Your time has come, now you’re free to run, enjoy what you’ve been blessed with, you earned it for a lifetime.
Really puts a stupid car into perspective doesn’t it? Things are only things, but life is life. Sweet blessed life. Maybe my body is a metaphorical car...perhaps i'm free too?
-two songs-
Who am I?
SCI
Through my senses, I'm reliving childhood memories from my past
But, in an instant it is over, fading quickly from my mind
In the photo with piano, I see a man whose time has gone
I knew him only for a moment, but in his spirit I live on
What I was I am
It all comes 'round again
And who I used to be
Is still a part of me
An early morning, cold December, a family gathered all around
Taken back what I was given, open grave site, frozen ground
I see my hands, they are my father's, time has worn my fingers thin
Humor, laughter, ever after, my heart still remembers him
What I was I am
It all comes 'round again
Who he used to be
Is still a part of me
All the moments seldom last
And memories they fade so fast
I turn away and life has passed
Who Am I?
------------------
Joyful Sound
SCI
Take time to give thanks
Make time to be given
I’m going to stop and think twice
About the way that I'm living
Did I say a kind word?
Am I proud of my actions?
You know a job well done
Gives me satisfaction
Can I earn your trust?
Your love and affection?
Just one step at a time
In the right direction
Going to aim for the sky
Keep my feet on the ground
Raise my voice to the heavens
Make a joyful sound
Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Naaaaaaa....
Make a joyful sound
Can I sing for my supper
And play for my rent
I know it sounds funny
But it's how my time's spent
Greet everyday with full purpose
With passion and pride
I’m going to follow my heart
And have nothing to hide
A moment of insight
I know why I'm here
You know when the time just stops
See it all real clear
I’ve got to set an example
Make some mischief and fun
Do unto others and
Play a fat bass run
Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Naaaaaaa....
Make a joyful sound
I got to work hard everyday
And give it my best
Grab hold of fear and negativity
And lay them to rest
I know my time here's important
Can I do the right thing?
Practice patience and forgiveness
Feel the joy that they bring
Can I lay down tonight
Without feeling regret?
I know the love that I give
Becomes the love that I get
Well do you hear what I'm saying
Making sense to you?
Well if you feel it in your heart
Then you might want to sing too
Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Naaaaaaa....
Make a joyful sound
I don't want to sound preachy
Make you feel all wrong
Just want to write some kind lyrics
Sing a feel good song
It's kind of hard to explain
It is just a feeling I get
From making music making love
Getting both feet wet
Well every piece to the puzzle
Snapped tight to the groove
I Close my eyes breathe deeply and
Let my feet move
You know I feel a little better
Now for speaking my mind
Good vibes in circulation and
See who they find
Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Naaaaaaa....
Make a joyful sound
