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[Bear]

Last week I went on a whirlwind business trip out to San Jose, California.    The purpose of the trip was to hold software discussions with IBM, but I had another goal in mind.   San Jose is just a couple of hours away from the home of my friend Paul Pedroni (aka PabloCruze), the owner of the tribute CD project.   Paul and I had not seen each other since 1998 even though we do try to keep in touch via telephone.  My flight arrived in San Jose at 10:30 Wednesday night, and my flight home was scheduled for 6:30 am on Friday.  After accounting for drive time and the time during the day Thursday to meet with IBM, there wasn't much time left.   Just as soon as the meeting was over and I made it back to the hotel Thursday evening, I changed clothes and pointed the nose of the rented Chevy HHR north.   A couple of hours later, I was sitting behind a completely foreign to me (but sweet sounding) Gretsch drum set and jamming with Paul (Pedroni) and Paul (Lashley).  It was like we'd been playing together the whole 8 years.  Man what a blast!  It's a crime that we can't spend more time together.   We played songs from memory all night, including our tribute CD cut, "Nothing Is The Same", as well as ones that I'd never actually tried to play before at all, like "I Don't Have To Sing The Blues".  Too soon our host got concerned about his neighbors' sensibilities due to the lateness of the hour, and we had to stop.   Paul and I retired to a local Denny's for a (very) late supper and subsequent visit to his catering shop where he supplied me with a goodly portion of absolutely the best potato salad on the planet - packed in a small cooler complete with cold packs for the trip home.  What a guy!  (That some of it actually made it home with me for my sweet bride to sample is a monumental testament to how much I love her.  It did not, however, survive the weekend.)

As it turned out, I made it back to the hotel Friday morning just barely in time to change clothes, check out, and make for the airport.

I hope we don't have to wait another eight years to do that again.

Bear