Friday, February 4, 2011

But I'm Not Afraid Of Bears


But I’m Not Afraid Of Bears

For the past several nights, The Songwriter has been immersed in the new autobiography of Rolling Stone, Keith Richards, a Christmas gift given to him, rather amusingly, by my mother, a woman completely unaware of Mr. Richards’ fairly intemperate lifestyle of which she would most decidedly disapprove. He has been chuckling and sighing, and reading passages out loud for my benefit which in turn has gifted me with the most outlandish mental pictures just before sleep. Images of Mr. Richards, sleepless for days, hurtling over the Atlas mountains in a rental car, dodging missile-laden military vehicles. Visions of bathtubs full of champagne, copious amounts of illegal substances, fist fights, arrests, and overall jaw-dropping mayhem. In other words, descriptions of the type of life I was never meant to live. To thine own self be true, I suppose. Thus, I’m quite happy to confess that I just wasn’t hardwired for wildness.

I was the kid who stood back in observation while others walked on the razor’s edge. I was the one bent over her Bronte book, shaking her head, convinced that a few of her friends had regret in their futures. I suppose I did take my fair share of risks, but they were a bit more singular in nature. For instance, there was the afternoon I jumped off a very high stone wall, utterly certain that I could fly. A broken leg convinced me otherwise. And it’s true that I have no fear of furry animals - large or small, wild or tame - a fact that causes The Songwriter no small amount of consternation as he attempts to drive home the fact that grizzly bears are, indeed, dangerous.

But compare my habits to those of the Keith Richards’ of the world and, most assuredly, mine would land with a thud in the category of the prosaic. For try as I might, I’m unable to imagine Keith listening to a podcast on knitting, thrilled at finally being able to master the perfect decrease. Would Keith look forward to curling up in front of the fire in flannel pajamas to watch Downton Abbey? Would he delight in the sight of a bluebird at his feeder? Would he more often than not prefer a cozy night with a good book to a raucous one on the town? Nope, facts must be faced - Keith Richards and I belong in entirely different subsections of the human race.

But now, before I give the erroneous impression that I am a boring old dullard, let me hasten to say that The Songwriter and I have sat on the front row of a Stones concert, close enough to touch the aforementioned Mr. Richards, and we had an utterly fabulous time. However, there did come a point in the concert when Mick Jagger stripped off his sweaty shirt, pointed straight at me, and threw that soppy thing directly at my head, experience having no doubt taught him that most girls go ape over that particular move.
But me? I ducked.
No, a sweaty shirt is not my idea of a memento.
Not even from a rolling stone. Just read to me about it, okay?

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31 comments:

  1. Oh, wow, that's quite a story about ducking Mick's muck...! Had your head on straight back then, a rarity..

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  2. I laughed out loud at the image of good old Mick sitting and knitting....
    Love your animated description. I agree, there many worlds out there, inhibited by many different kinds of people.
    I often feel this way even when I watch some folks not so far removed....and as accomplished as Mr.Jagger!

    xoxo Victoria

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  3. Agreed! :)



    Aloha from Honolulu
    Comfort Spiral

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  4. I grew up a good girl with good grades, always with my nose in a book. However, when people ask, what about you don't many people know and would surprise them, I reply, I loved driving autocross in my Triumph Spitfire ragtop - with a roll bar, thank you! I would have ducked, too.

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  5. Boy ! How much would that have been worth of e-Bay.

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  6. Great shirt story at the Stones concert....my reactions would have matched yours!

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  7. I'm sitting here having a good chuckle over the image of Keith Richards in jammies drinking a mug of hot milk!
    Thanks for a great post.

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  8. HeeHee! Just loved this post...and I have to say that I am part of your subsection of the human race:) Sweaty Mick Jagger though...I might have grabbed at that shirt:)

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  9. Mick certainly is an athlete. I can't believe how he can jump all over the place and still have enough breath left to sing.

    Look at the bright side. He threw his shirt, not his shoes.

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  10. Woppeee and wonderful! I still getting over being in the front row of a Stones concert. Keff is one in a million and we love him for it. I watch him not Mick and I also love Ronnie. Mick is a bookworm and very studious guy from what I’ve read. Keff is a big time partyier, but playing guitar is not for dummies. It’s hard bloody work to get good and to be so soulful. I love Keff. Wouldn’t want to be married to him, but him and Patti seems to be a lovely lasting couple..
    Thanks for this...it stirred my imagination.

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  11. Icky, I'm with you there, DEFINITELY duck!

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  12. Dear Pamela,
    I have yet to read Keith Richards book but, I can imagine it is full of fantastic revelations !! I would have thought that he has done so much in his life that his book would weigh a ton !!!! He was actually always my favourite Rolling Stone when they started back in the '60's......in my teens, I was in London and saw them all just walking in the park !! I got Keith Richard's autograph but I haven't a clue where it is now !! Would probably be worth a few ££££'s now !!
    ......I don't think that I would fancy a sweaty Mick Jagger shirt thrown at me either !!
    .....and, many, many thanks for your lovely comment and birthday wishes......I'm still celebrating !!
    Have a lovely weekend, Pamela. XXXX

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  13. ooo,yeah! No sweaty shirts in my direction either!!!! Funny piece, Pamela :)

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  14. Nor is it mine. I could not imagine you with someone's, anyone's sweaty shirt near your person.

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  15. haha I'm with you, eeeww on the flying sweaty shirt, even if it's Micks! I saw them once at Shea Stadium and it was pretty fun, but I'm not a rock'n'roll crazy groupie girl either...

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  16. Yes, we're definitely kindred spirits. From what I've heard about Keith's book, he comes across as more gentlemanly and, ahem, moral than Mick, albeit in a rock idol's universe. I would have ducked, too - natural reflex. Did you aspire to look like Marianne Faithfull (Mick's girl in the 60's) and Pattie Boyd like I did? I think you can still carry that off.

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  17. I've never read the book, but I usually shop at the Safeway for staples, and I typical love the view or at least I should think I do when they are wearing colorful scrubs although I am colorblind so I should say, shaded with multiple shades of varying greys and grays, and grace.

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  18. Dear Pamela, I'd have ducked too!

    I didn't notice the font colour change but found it easy to read.

    I have Keith's book on my bedside but haven't started it yet. I love your stories - my life's been a mixture of wildness followed by Downton Abbey in pyjamas. It's worked for me.

    And I have no fear of furry animals either. Have a lovely weekend xx

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  19. How fortunate that we are all so different in this world of ours...I am the pj's and Downton Abbey girl these days.... but there were other days....Have a wonderful weekend Pamela....xv

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  20. I love your new font colour
    and love all you share.
    Love Jeanne

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  21. This was hilarious! I loved it. Reggie lived more on the edge in his younger days than he does today, but that was then and this is now. What's crazy about Keith Richards and the Stones in general is that they--at least publicly--live like wastral teenagers, but they are in their sixties and time moves on and it's all looking rather peculiar and desperate. Call me a curmudgeon, but such Peter Pan behavior is not exactly becoming when one's roots have long gone gray. And fer chrissakes, Mick, leave the tee shirt on! Reggie

    PS, I love the mental image of you ducking the hurled sweaty tee shirt, which is exactly what I would have done, too.

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  22. ...have to admit, I'm definitely in your subsection of the human race too Pamela.

    As I left England just as the Beatles emerged on the music scene, I didn't go ga-ga over the Brit groups as much.........I was here in the US still enjoying the 'stars' of my school age years - the real rock 'n rollers, Bill Haley & The Comets, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, and mostly the still-young Elvis!

    Can't wait for the next Downton Abbey series, so wonderful. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy little bits of wildness, but no grizzlies, tramping the damp hills of the English Lake District, across the Scottish border, and home in glorious Devon........my next trip across the pond this Spring.

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  23. I'd have ducked too!....and I'm no shrinking violet.
    I've looked and can't see much difference between the fonts - both are easy to read.

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  24. Like you I've never been one of life's risk takers:) I did see the Stones live very early in their career in the mid 60s and they were pretty awful but they must have improved since then:) The interesting thing about Keith Richard which I found really surprising is that he is very interested in history, he's appeared on one or two TV programmes connected with archaeology.

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  25. I've never been a risk taking kind of person - always thinking things through right from an early age - maybe because my parents were 'older' parents by the time I came along? I think I'd have ducked too to avoid the sweaty t-shirt! Eew! I never saw The Stones live but I did see Jimi Hendricks live - many years ago:)

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  26. Happy New Year Pamela to you, Edward and your Songwriter. Did you celebrate Rabbie Burns birthday?

    I'm glad your songwriter likes his book and that your mom gave him a gift he has enjoyed.

    Wasn't Downton Abbey just "it"?
    I would like to send you something. Could you please email me your address?
    xox
    Constance

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  27. Pamela, you and me both!
    Does Keith mention being a tea drinker? (Surely he doesn't drink vodka for breakfast EVERY morning.)
    I like to imagine him having a cuppa and watching Downton Abbey; you never know.

    That biography has gotten great reviews, and many of the biographers have commented on how they don't know how he has remembered anything at all.

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  28. A lovely essay!
    Gosh, I remember being rather aghast at the goings on of the Stones in my youth --despite a serious desire to look like Marianne Faithfull.
    No, I do not think Keith Richards is a keen knitter. (!)
    Your font color is charming. I'm not a big fan of dark backgrounds on the whole but yours is subtle and lovely.
    Will be a little triste in Maroc without you
    but I'm sure new adventures await and
    I'm always happy to read anything you write!

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  29. I have wanted to read Keith's book. I can only imagine what's written amongst those pages. I think I would of done just as you did Pamela. No sweaty shirts hurled at me either. Tempting it is not!

    I wanted to wish you a very belated happy anniversary. Cheers to love indeed.

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I love to read your comments! Each and every one! Though I'm always reading your comments, I may not respond in the comment section. If you want to write me directly, you may do so at pamela@pamelaterry.net. Thank you for reading!