burtoncummings

THIS IS NOT FICTION...THIS IS A TRUE EXAMPLE OF LIFE'S RICH PAGEANT...


THIS EVENT HAPPENED ABOUT 1978 OR 1979...MY FRIEND JACK DANIELS (ALTON DILLS) WAS PLAYING WITH A COUNTRY BAND AT A PLACE CALLED THE HOLIDAY...I THINK THAT WAS ITS NAME, AND I THINK IT MIGHT'VE BEEN IN PACOIMA, BUT I'M NOT 100 PER CENT SURE RIGHT NOW. ANYHOW, THAT DOESN' T REALLY AFFECT THE STORY.
MY FRIEND DANN ROGERS (KENNY'S NEPHEW) AND ONE OF HIS FRIENDS AND YOURS TRULY ARRIVE AT THIS BAR ABOUT NINE OR TEN AND PROCEED TO WATCH OUR FRIEND JACK ON STAGE...
A FEW MUSICAL NUMBERS GO BY AND THERE'S A SCUFFLE AT THE BAR...
SOME GUY HAS INSULTED OR HIT ON ANOTHER GUY'S GIRL...THE GUY WHOSE GIRL IT IS PULLS OUT A KNIFE AND STABS THE GUY WHO HAS JUST HIT ON HER...THE STABBED GUY PULLS OUT A GUN AND SHOOTS THE GUY WHO'S JUST STABBED HIM...THE BULLET GOES RIGHT THROUGH THE KNIFE-GUY'S SHOULDER, OUT THE BACK SIDE OF HIS BODY AND INTO THE HEAD OF ANOTHER GUY WHO HAPPENS TO BE STANDING AT THE BAR...
WE ALL HEARD LATER THAT HE WAS DEAD WHEN HE HIT THE FLOOR.
MANY OF US DUCK AND TURN TABLES OVER FOR "COVER" (YOURS TRULY BEING NO EXCEPTION) AND THE GUN-GUY, WHO IS BLEEDING PRETTY GOOD BY THIS TIME EXITS THE BAR TOUTE DE SUITE...


THE POLICE GOT HIM LATER, AND APPARENTLY DEALT WITH ALL INVOLVED.
OUR PARTICULAR PARTY WAS NEVER CALLED UPON TO TESTIFY, A BLESSING UNTO ITSELF.
I HAVEN'T REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS INCIDENT FOR QUITE A WHILE, BUT I THOUGHT I'D TYPE IT DOWN AND READ IT MYSELF...
JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW ONE NEVER KNOWS WHAT'S AROUND THE CORNER.
WHAT I TOOK AWAY FROM ALL THIS WAS YET ANOTHER REINFORCEMENT OF THE SANCTITY OF LIFE...THE GUY WHO DIED THAT NIGHT HAD NO IDEA WHEN HE LEFT THE HOUSE THAT HE WOULD NEVER GET BACK THERE...
LIVE IN THE MOMENT...
GL & GH...
B.C.