Full Circle

Back in 1999/2000, I decided to join or start a band. I got together with three other guys and we started muddling through songs. Somewhere along the line, three of us decided that the fourth guy didn't fit so we mercilessly kicked him out of the band -the band that he thought he started.

We practiced and practiced and tried to get gigs as best we could. We decided on a name "SlipMickie" that our drummer, McGee, said came to him while he was sitting listening to some live jazz. The band never went too far, but we did perform for my CD release party and it was a great night. After that we all sort of drifted apart.

It wasn't until recently that the three of us connected on Facebook. The drummer, McGee, lives in Virginia and is a master at video production/editing (much like he was when we played together), the bass player, Matt Batarseh, continued playing in bands - first it was "Another Lincoln" and now it is "Fiction 20 Down". I got to open for that band tonight at Armadillo's in Annapolis. I played a solo hour set of originals and I thought I did pretty good. I got to catch a lot of Fiction 20 Down's music. Honestly, I wasn't impressed, but it was good to see and hear Matt play again. I was anxious to catch up with him. I wondered how he and his wife were doing and if they had any kids. They did. A three-year old daughter. But Matt and his wife are divorced and, because of this recent development, he's quitting the band so it'll be easier to arrange visitations. That's sad. I always liked Matt and I always thought his wife was a quiet and sweet person.

I never asked exactly what went wrong because that would've been an involved answer, I'm sure. But it really left me with a sadness in my heart. And then I looked over at my wife and, again, I was grateful to have found her. I think we'll be together forever. I think it's destiny. No one can say for sure, but I know her and she knows me -at least we both think so. And, the important thing -- WE FIGHT. Often. Not the knock-down, drag-em-out fights, but we disagree, debate, and argue all the time. And when one of us unknowingly pisses off the other... well, let's just say it doesn't go undiscussed. That's a good thing.

Back in 1999/2000, I decided to join/start a band. I also met a girl and decided to take a chance on love again. Tonight all that came full circle and made me grateful for how things work out.