I was waiting in line at the convenient store on Saturday watching as people continue to buy more lottery tickets than they ever did before the big ticket was sold on Clinton Highway, as if ours is the chosen town. Just as I was about to explain how the lottery was a tax on people bad at math, the beautiful piano introduction of "Don't Stop Believin" by Journey began to leak from the store speakers. A hush fell over the busy store. A trance came over the man in front of me and the woman behind me. They began to stare into the distance as we all will when the Zombie apocalypse is upon us, and, right on cue, all three of us sang the first line "Just a small town girl..." We laughed. Upon further investigation, which I do well, I discovered all three of us were in our mid to late 40's. We talked about the song and what it meant to each of us. Invariably, we agreed the song took us to a place, a time and a member of the opposite sex. The lady blushed, the man smiled and I delighted in the stories of school dances, acne, flirtations, and first kisses. Keep in mind, I didn't know these people. The conversation continued into the parking lot where the three of us had mysteriously become 13 years old. For a minute, I thought we were going to go have a drink at Irish Times. Thank you Steve Perry for the song and for the moment at Pilot in the Summer of my 45th year. The power of a song.
I have a dear friend who has written many songs. Some of them have been hits. I'm amazed at the volume of high-quality songs he writes and envious of his ability to form the words and music that move people. Of course, I have my favorites. One such favorite is called "One Last Song." It is about the magic and power of music in our lives (see above). In particular, it is about a guy and girl meeting in a bar and the guy holding on, knowing that he'll have one last song to get the girl. I like the sentiment of knowing that it's never too late, believing there is one last song that might help deliver your last desire. Of course, it's never too late to get the girl, and the power of a song can convince you it's never too late to change your life.
I'm a lawyer, a father, a husband, a basketball coach, and a wanna-be-writer. I write because I love to. Most writers write for themselves. I'm that way. I've written for years and published to no one except my editor and chief critic, my wife, Nancy, who seems to be a bit biased. I write emails to a large number of friends who attend a golf tournament I run, but they are a captive audience. They've all encouraged me to write. I've decided now is the time to give writing more importance, give it the place in my life it deserves. Sure, I hope for an audience. My family carries the "I-want-an-audience" gene. This dominant gene drives us, regardless of talent, to the dance floor, any place there is a microphone, and the courtroom. Generations of Pryor's have taken to the stage, usually resulting in humiliation, but it seems to be our destiny. Like Steve Perry and my dear friend, I've always wanted to move people; to entertain, enlighten, educate or, in the very least, make people think. I'm working on larger works, but in this forum I'll write about things that interest me. I'll write short stories or essays, and I'll take positions on issues. It's never too late to make a change. There's always one last song. What do you want to do? Don't stop believin.
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