The Troubadour!

Today has been fun! This morning after walking six fast miles with Leslie, I returned phone calls, and caught up on some paperwork. Since I was busy, Tony went over to see Kinky at the Lodge, to discuss some business with him.

When Tone returned from his meeting with Kinky, I was filling out my shopping list, and ready to head to Kerrville, because earlier we had planned on going to Kerrville to run several errands, like pick up my bifocals and hopefully get my driver's license. "Kinky wants us to eat lunch with him, Frank and Big G.," Tony said.

"Where?"

"At some BBQ place, that Big G. highly recommended we try. Kinky said for us to meet them at one o'clock," Tony said. A few minutes later, we left the rescue ranch in Buttermilk. On our way to Kerrville, we decided to eat lunch with them, but we had to rearrange our schedule.

After running two quick errands, we arrived at the BBQ place, one minute early. "Frank and Big G. are already here," Tony said. "They are sitting right next to the window." When we walked inside, we went to their table and sat down. After howdies and handshakes, Kinky showed up! And, that's when the real fun began!

We spent most of our lunch laughing at Frank's, Big G.'s and Kinky's hilarious stories, about famous musicians that they knew! They talked about Leon Russell, Billy Joe Shaver, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Keith Richards, Roger Miller, Steve Winwood, etc. My favorite story was the one Kinky told about the early days of the Rolling Thunder Review!

One afternoon, before the show, Kinky was sitting at a bar, at The Troubadour, in Los Angeles. While sound checks were going on, a friendly guy, with a big, bushy beard and wearing a big cowboy hat, said hi to him, and Kinky said hi to him, even though he wasn't sure who the guy was.

"This guy seemed to know me," Kinky said. "He kept talking to me about mutual friends, but I couldn't place him. We spent over two hours drinking at the bar, while Joni Mitchell kept coming in and out of the bar. This guy was very friendly. I liked him, and I enjoyed our conversation. By the end of our conversation, I decide he had to either be Rusty Weir or Ray Wylie Hubbard."

"Who was he?" I asked Kinky.

"It was driving me crazy," Kinky said. "I had to know who he was, so I finally asked him who he was." The four of us sat in silence, waiting for Kink to tell us who he was. In a soft voice, Kinky said, "The man said, 'Eric Clapton.' It was Eric Clapton."

I was in shock! I had goose bumps! "It was Eric Clapton!" I said. "OMG! I love Eric Clapton! That is so cool! Wow!" Tone, Big G. and Frank thought it was pretty cool, too!

After lunch, T. and I went to Walmart to pick up my bifocals. After getting them fitted, we walked around the store, to see if I liked them and if I could see better. I definitely could see better, but I looked like a snob when I tried to read a label. My nose was so high up in the air, I would have drowned, had I been outside in the rain.

Our last destination was the Texas Department of Public Safety. "Don't be scared, Nance," Tony said, before we got out of Buttermilk. "Look straight ahead, when you try to read the letters."

When we entered the driving license office, I was scared. Scared that I might flunk their vision test, again. When the friendly woman officer asked me to come up to the counter, I said, "I flunked y'all's eye test five times last week, and I hope I don't today." Then I started pulling the eye doctor's form out of my purse, and getting my old driver's license, while two teenage boys stared at me, like I was a crazy old lady. "I got bifocals, and here is the paperwork." Then the woman asked me to sign a few forms.

After that she asked me to take the vision test! "Please read line four." I knew the boys were watching me, and probably laughing at me, and I also felt like everyone in there was holding their breath—wondering if I would pass the test. I said, a silent prayer, if that is even possible, and then I took a deep breath, and looked into the vision machine, and told her what I saw.

"Congratulations, you passed. You didn't miss one letter." I was thrilled! I felt like I had just won the lottery! I looked over at Tone and he shot me a wink. "Now, I have to take your picture. Please stand over there, and remove your glasses."

I did as I was told, but was confused that she didn't want me wearing my bifocals in the picture. After she shot me, my thumbs were finger printed, and then she asked me if I wanted to keep my motorcycle license, because it would cost a little bit more.

"Yes," I said, as the two young men looked at me in disbelief! I loved it!

I wrote a check to the state of Texas for thirty-two dollars. Then Tony drove me back to the rescue ranch. We laughed about the two teenagers. "You should of seen the look on their faces, when she asked you if you wanted to keep your motorcycle license!" Tony said.

Y'all have a great evening!