When times are low, I seem to come back to these boards
I continue my heroic fight against depression and anxiety (for those who don't understand, it means I know someday I will loose to it, but that day is not today.)
I am almost divorced (I initiated it, it is sad, but unfortunately I could no longer put her wellbeing ahead of my own, that is why I suffer from depression in no small part)
To combat the loneliness, the depression, etc...I have started doing game supplement stuff. Currently working on my Star Knight idea. After that planning on the first piece of the Fox's Armory (some of you might remember my Ultimate Utility Belt thread, this is an outgrowth of that). Also might start doing something with the San Corona Gazzette and Fox is dead campeign.
But wanted to come by and say I'm back, till I'm gone again
"So Dolly, is there anything you can't do? From helping to stop a global pandemic to literally saving a small child, this woman deserves a Nobel Peace Prize."
Honestly, a Plastic Man movie has been 'in development' for over 20 years - The Wachowski sisters wrote a script in the 1990s. Until they actually talking casting or shooting, the movie doesn't really exist.
The hiring does suggest that Warner has decided that female-led or fun superhero movies are a better bet than Snyder-style flicks. Or that somebody wants to give the lady mentioned a paycheck. As said, there are some interesting things that could be done, and some really dumb things. If it ever actually gets made, I'll give it a chance.
Yeah-- this will mean nothing to any of you, but not only was he my all-time favorite singer, he was also the cousin of an old friend, and a damned nice guy.
Two bouts with throat cancer to go out like this....
Funny story: decades ago, I had to run out to where Robert worked (work-related errand), and I had Charley Pride on the ol' 8-track, and Robert asked me "hey, Duke! You gotta come to my family reunion!"
Not particularly wanting to schedule around it (I had a _lot_ going on; Robert was a great guy, and I probably would have agreed to stop by for a few minutes had my situation been different right then.
Anyway, Robert asked "Ain't that Charley Pride on the radio?"
"Nah; that's on 8-track. i've got everything he ever recoded; he's my favorite singer."
He laughed and laughed. "Duke, you gotta come! Charley Pride's my _cousin_, Man!"
"Yeah. Right. I gotta go, Robert; they're gonna miss me."
I left. (No; that's not the funny part).
A few days later, I bump into Robert in town. "Duke, Man, you gotta come to my reunion!"
"Oh yeah; right. So I can meet your cousin, right?"
"Well, no; so you can sit and eat some ribs with us, shoot some hoops--"
"Not cool, Robert. You know I'm white."
"And I need you to make me look good; my cousins are way better on the court, Man."
(say what you want: we had that kind of relationship when we were young, okay?)
"Robert, I believe that you have a cousin, and I believe that his name is Charley Pride. Can we let it drop now?"
"Duke, Man; I am _tellin'_ you, Charley Pride is my _cousin_!"
"Yeah. Look, I wish I could, Robert."
"Aunt Della gonna smoke a couple coons....."
"I'm sorry; what?"
"Aunt Della gonna roast a couple coons, Man."
"Aunt Della from Ludowicci?"
"Aunt Della from Ludowicci."
Aunt Della from Ludowicci can roast a coon. I mean she can _roast_ a coon! Best damned coon I've ever eaten, and the only coon I've ever had that isn't greasy. Her possum was positively delightful, too (the secret, she claimed, was grain feeding them a couple of weeks before killing them).
"What time you want me?"
Skip ahead nearly two weeks:
We've had a lot of fun, singing, dancing, playing football, and trying to get me to play basketball. To describe how that went, keep in mind that at a much later reunion, it was suggested that the then-current movie should have been called "White Men's Feet are Sewed to the Floor." I am full as a tick on Boston Butt, ribs, possum, duck, and I'm working the bones of the last bit of coon on my plate. Robert had gotten up to "get us some more beer" (Robert, like his father's side of the family, had a penchant for malt liquor, which.... well, it's not good. Fortunately, I had brought a couple cases of actual beer (well, American beer, but _NOT_ malt liquor) and four gallons of sweet tea, so I had options).)
A couple minutes later and I hear a voice "Hey, Robert! What kind of secrets are in your family? I think you've got a Honky in the woodpile!" I snorted (and nearly lost a bite of coon!) I recovered, swallowed, grinned and turned to look at the funny man. Robert was standing there with his cousin. "Duke; this my cousin: Charley Pride."
And damned if it wasn't.
I didn't know what do-- I tried to stand, talk, apologize, shake hands, and hold a coon shank kind of all at once. None of it was working. Every part of me was trying to do its own thing: it wasn't a star-struck thing, folks; I'm just not wired that way. It was just _shock_. I mean-- Robert's cousin was Charley Pride! It was-- it was _neat_!
So I finally just gave up trying to do _anything_, and stood there, still processing--
it's weird. Nothing had really prepared me for that. Robert really should have told me his cousin was Charley Pride; he really should have.
I'm standing there, convincing my brain to reboot, beer in one hand, coon shank in the other. Finally, I had sense enough to slowly and carefully set them bth on the picnic table, wipe my sandwich scoops, and stare at this total stranger, doing my best impression of a fly trap.
"So, uh, whose the white guy, Robert?"
"I uh..." finally I half turned and gestured at the table behind me. "I came for the coon!" I damned near screamed, causing him to burst into eye-watering laughter.
"Hell, I've been called worse." He stuck out a hand. "I'm Charley Pride. Nice to meet ya."
Greatest day of my entire life.
(Don't tell my wife; she has this crazy notion that this honor belongs to our wedding day. Weird, right? )
I attended several family reunions after that. Turns out Charley Pride is exactly the guy you think he is: humble, hilarious, and a lot of fun.
Eventually I moved, Robert moved, and life went on. I still think about him-- we used to be pretty tight-- but you know how life goes.
I'm going to see if I can find Robert's number. You folks have a good evening.
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