A Geezer Weekend

"Four brothers on the road talking, nonsense to each other understanding, maybe, a little of the storm that surrounds us then, and forever."

The trio met at the station and rest in the open air before their long rail ride up north. Technology has given them paper to board, but the seat Nazi assigns pairs, even with an unused car. The trip doesn't seem to stop as much as last time. The air is cool and the sunshine is bright creating a wonderful panoramic passing movie. Small talk feeds the way to alcohol. Grading students and reading old stories fills the time until arrival.

Even renovation cannot keep us from following the yellow brick road through the catacombs to our awaiting chauffeurs. "Hey old man." the black man says as he steps aside to let our traveling caravan through. A large white chariot awaits our bags and bodies.

Just to make things exciting, one of the Geezers, upon arrival at their bed and bath, decided to do some acrobatics and stumble down the mountain. Graceful yet painful in the darkness, he received the laughter and sympathy of all others.

Since our host are professionals at this, cooling machinery was configured to ease the swelling, while large amounts of alcohol deadened the pain.
Already, we had a common event to discuss and relate to when other conversations were lacking.

Once settled into separate rooms, we gathered for pizza (the prediction was correct again) and more alcohol. The lady of the house departs the "boys night out" and the brothers four settle in to find a common ground. More small talk and laughter sparked by technology issues and old, old tales.

The question for tonight is "What do you regret?" Interesting way to dig down to the core quickly. Now it is truth or dare. Will we answer? Will we be truthful?? Why not? We are all friends, at least acquaintances of times gone past.

GrampsGeezer does not have an acceptable answer, since there is no answer. "Even marrying the first wife?" the question comes. A flash of 1000 meanings in that question rise, but still "No" is the response. "No grandchildren?" maybe the JoJoGeezer answer, but he has no control over it. JimboGeezer missing the college experience for life experience, but has done well without it. "Marrying my second wife" was the regret from the CommissionerGeezer. There was a long explanation which I did not understand, but I never knew his second wife.....?

Yet, marriage is what separated us all from "the group" and made us who we are today. We make mistakes along the way, but that is what LIFE is all about.

A different bed, in scents in the air, even with the window open, yet sleep was hard to find. Perhaps the anticipation of the gathering or the "regret" question kept me awake until early in the morning forcing the body to relax knowing the host awakes early in the day. An so it was, hearing sounds unfamiliar and finding myself in an unknown environment, I dressed and started the day with coffee (real sugar) and electronic stimulation or distraction of television and music.
Once all the Geezers were up and about, it was time for the boys to do what boys do..... travel miles to a manufacturing plant in another state. After months of promotional talk and links, the time had come to view the construction of CommissionerGeezer's latest passion. Play with toys and follow the boys through the tables and machinery. The concrete floor and standing tables reminded me of our old production facilities before the digital automation, but cutting, gluing, sanding and filing wood can not be done on the computer.

After shopping for trinkets and memorabilia, dining on much to much grub, the GeezerMobile is call upon to reverse course back to our haven. Much more traffic clogged our path and the Geezers became restless, but there was nothing to do but watch the sun go down.

Sampling the toys of wealth before smoked fish, the four settled in for alcohol and music. The tunes were easy, even with a new handshake, comfortable. Without a musical spark drawing us together into bonding with strings and wood, old men settled into softness and quiet. Our host Geezer bowed out leaving the trio to their own devices. It's funny the things you notice when the little bass player isn't there and the smoke clears.

Another beautiful day brought another adventure. The GimpGeezer was still hobbling, but keeping up with the tribe that included the mistress of the house. Through flat farm land and race tracks, the tour guide pointed out early remembrances. Hours on the road brought us to the refinery and free alcohol samples. Waiting for a chance to hear the spiel, we browsed t-shirts, backpacks, sweatshirts, and socks with the logo of a fish on it. The tour began on time and the lemmings followed the sound of a voice pointing to large metal and wooden vats sloshing with liquid. Hops, barley, sugars, water mixed together in various amounts to produce more plastic cups of samples.
Since we had not consumed food stuffies in a few hours, we were off to a fish restaurant near the water. JoJoGeezer and Jimbo(now Gimp)Geezer tried variations of samples while we chose the best of what we had already sampled.

For dessert, the ocean was presented. It had been a year, but soft sand and the crashing sound of water, even for brief moments renews the innards with joy and sadness.

After another l o n g r i d e back, even with a new driver and enough Pop, Reggae and Latino trumpeters, the homestead was in sight. Weary Geezers filled their faces with pasta and pesto and conversations that could have been deeper but this time we kept it light. "Harry Potter" filled the room causing a distraction while our host departed. The trio tasted the samples and retired soon after.

Coffee, packed, and off to the station. Other than the show put on by GimpGeezer, the mini-vacation had been uneventful and rather calm. Was I expecting more?

Even without alcohol, the ride home was quiet, reading students notes and watching the landscape. A short frustrated depart from the parking area, JoJoGeezer delivered me back to the point-of-no-return. A "thank you" and a combined Geezer mix, I closed the door, breathing in the coolness of home.

"The storm clouds in the sky and, the tempest, of our lives forgotten for the moment of laughter and pretzels Kids, and our music."

Editors note: Words from music "Riding in the Rain" (cliff&/orJoe) circa 1971