Crossroads

Last evening I went to see David "Honeyboy" Edwards. A 93 year old blues musician. He first recorded back in 1942. The same year as Muddy Waters put out his first recorded album, and also Son House. This guy is a living history of the blues. He ran around and played with all of them from Little Walter, Big Walter, Memphis Slim, Pinetop Perkins, Howlin' Wolf, Clifton Chenille, Junior Wells, etc. He knew them! He told stories about them! Being a white kid from the suburbs it can fairly be argued that I don't really "know" the blues. But damn if this didn't make me forget that. Sitting in the candle lit blues club located in an alley, watching this guy sing and play like he was still 23, made me feel like a part of history. How often does one get to see a legend, a person who was not only a part of history but influenced it as well. That hypothetical question brings me to another point.

I went by myself. I asked about four or five people and none of them "could" make it out. Some of them are even people who love the blues! I honestly didn't understand how they could pass up such an experience. When did we become so set in our schedules of bedtimes and significant others expectations that we can't go do something different and something that we may never get to experience again? I can't expect people to place the same value on something that I do. And normally I am ok with it. I just thought that this was an exception!