"Weekend @ Mizzou"

In keeping with my current line of subject matter (i.e. myself), I hereby present the following blow-by-blow account of the Mitchell family's Homecoming Weekend in Columbia.

The drive up Thursday night, if you recall, was rain-soaked every furlong of the way. Was physically exhausted by the time we topped the last hill on I-70 and was reminded of all those trips back in the early 1980's.

Friday: Blustery. Began hearing from all members of both my band, The Trend, as well as from Fools Face, a pop band that we "be-frended" during our Rockstar days (the stories of The Trailer and The Gas Station Credit Card are highly inflated, as is the story of The Phone Call From Kurt Loder of Rolling Stone and M.T.V. Fame at said trailer). The plan was to meet at The Blue Note for a quick run-through and sound-check. I can honestly report that being in that town under those circumstances was as stress-free as it had been stressful those decades ago. Columbia is really an ideal college town with a burgeoning downtown and beautiful tree-lined streets. Students, I'm afraid, miss this as they focus on the books.

Friday night, the show was thrilling, at least from the performers' perspective. Fools Face hadn't appeared there in 25 years, and they really seemed to "Pick It Up" (one of their songs). My personal life-long goal of being able to play on their drummer's drum set was fulfilling. Hey, everybody's got a "bucket list", right? Some items are sillier than others. Anyone who knows me knows that I tend to become a fan of something to the hilt. I know every Fools Face library's drum part by heart. And getting to watch Tommy Dwyer work up close is priceless. (Yeah, yeah. And yes I even got to fetch him Diet Cokes during the set!) (Insert joke here: "Yessir Mr. Dwyer! Could I pour em over ice, Mr. Dwyer!? Want I should put it up to your mouth for you while you operate, Mr. Dwyer!?)

Did what old people do at Homecoming. Saw a ton of old friends, met a few new ones. And, in what continues to be the norm, all of them were amazed by my wife--both by her striking beauty as well as by her evidently flawed judgment.

Saturday: As it happened, The Texas Longhorns were staying at our hotel. Let me wrap up the football game breakdown by saying this: Refunds were granted to all residents of the hotel because the water they anticipated being used for showers by those Longhorns upon their return after the game was not needed. Beat Mizzou 6 TD's to 1. As Flake used to say, "And it wasn't that close."

The day, however, was beautiful. The leaves are turned up there and the sun was finally shining gloriously (yes, it still exists). Candy had her maiden voyage to Shakespeare's Pizza as well as that Mizzou landmark Taco Bell. In what turned out to be the first MU game that I had ever driven to, I exposed my lack of insider parking knowledge by having to park--5 hours prior to game time--down by Rock Creek Quarry. Ever hauled a case of beer and a wife up a deadly-steep hill for about a mile? Ewww. Met up with buddies Ed and Lori Norton and their sons Trey and Tyler, who are both now taller than Lori. Ed reported that the grill attached to the back of his SUV really IS removable. Sure it is, Ed. Works great at Tailgate parties though!

Went in to Faurot Field. Found seats. Watched Texas play for a quarter. Left. Listened to remainder of the "game" on the radio poolside at the hotel.

Sunday: Stopped in at a favorite establishment in Cape to watch some NFL. Dolphins/Saints. This could be ugly for a Dolphin fan. But, as I said to anyone who would listen, SURELY it couldn't be worse than what Texas did to M.U.

Surely.

In case you missed it (or have a life), New Orleans stormed back against the beloved Fish from 3 TD's down to win. In a perfect metaphor for the entire weekend, it started out much better than expected then came to a crashing end. Dolphins lose.

Begs the classic philosophical question: Is it better to have played well and lost, or to never have played at all?

Well, The Trend played, Fools Face played well, and we didn't go up for the sports anyway.

Here's to Macky, Collier, Michael, and B-Joz. As stated in one of our million e-mails,

you guys have secured a special place in this old man's existence, and enriched it. Now let's go take a big ol' bite out of that New York City up the road a piece.