Spitball Army

1984 was a landslide victory year for Ronald Reagan. His Democratic opponent was former Vice-President Walter Mondale. Reagan’s re-election was practically assured as, under his first term watch, the economy showed definite signs of revival. It seemed that there was little for the Democrats to do than go through the motions, and pretend that their candidate stood a chance.

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…and then there were these stubs, found in various piles about the house, from an odd assortment of musical events that I attended before the turn of the century.

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People of a certain age will tell you that they remember exactly where they were when they heard the news that President Kennedy had been shot. I was only three years old then, but I do remember where I was when I heard about John Lennon.

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There was so much vinyl – multiple copies of many titles, and what seemed like endless rows of classical music – that I was overwhelmed. The two guys working the store seemed overwhelmed, too, wedged in behind a small sales counter that was piled high with boxes of new vinyl arrivals.

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Am strangely tired, and would dearly like to spend the night in my own bed, nice as that feather bed at the Charles was.

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Oh, I forgot to mention that Ron played his own version of Nick Lowe’s “Where’s My Everything?” during his set. He said he’d asked Lowe if he would sing it, Nick told him it wasn’t on his list this tour, so Ron asked if he could sing it.

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The subway system no longer takes tokens. They have taken the “branding” approach, as well, as the tickets that you buy from a machine (automation again, as at the airport) are called “Charlie,” as in “Charlie on the MTA!!” It took me awhile to figure out how to buy one. The lines to buy with cash were very, very long, and no one was purchasing at the credit card line, so I did that. It wasn’t easy, at first, all touch screen technology and menus, but I would be a pro a second time.

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“Look, this isn’t an art gallery,” he answered. “It doesn’t matter what you like; there’s big money driving the music.”

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