For the past several years, while working for PNC Bank, I would tell my customers and fellow employees that I was going to snowbird after I retired and play music in Tiki bars along the South West of Florida for other retired people. To be honest, I didn't know if it was financially possible. I didn't have any connections per se and we certainly didn't have a place to live. It was really just a dream. One day in October of 2020, after losing my Mother and Son earlier in the year, I was told that I had rectal cancer. Wow!!! WTF??? How much shit was I supposed take? My wife and I took a short trip to Florida the following month and I prepared myself for the radiation and chemo treatments that were to begin in late December.
It was THE WINTER OF ILLINOIS and I would prepare myself for the daily radiation treatments. The daily chemo medication would make my feel ill, but I'd get dressed and drive myself to the hospital. After a few weeks, my wife would drive me. Thanks to my friend Art and my Brother Jamey for driving the times that Sharen was working. I'd walk across the skywalk and look out over the bleak Peoria skyline. Depressing, cold and bleak.... kind of like my current situation. Next, I'd go to a dressing room, takeoff all my clothes, except my socks, then look for a gown with strings in the back long enough to cover my butt. Then, I'd sit in that cold gown and wait for a nurse to lead me back to the radiation room. It was surreal each day. I felt like I was willingly being tortured. Slowly killing a part of me, which it was...cancer cells.
I was lucky enough that they had earlier removed the cancer growth that was found in October, but there still could be cells ready to multiply and these cells needed to be killed.
Once in the room, which reminded me of a scene from GOLDFINGER, They would position me on the cold metallic table and then place a warm towel under my scrotum. The next part...I hated. They would produce these grey pewter orbs that were placed on either side of my testicles and then connected to form a kind of shield around my balls!!! I knew that this was a bad sign. What were they protecting my boys from???? Next, the machine would rotate around me while I wore a towel over my eyes. Over the passing days, I'd feel more and more nauseous and the radiation burns would get worse. After the treatments, I'd get help getting off the table and walk slowly back to the dressing room holding that gown over my ass. The treatments would make me have to go to the bathroom but the burns were getting so bad that it was very painful to go. You lose all dignity.
After getting dressed again, I'd go back out to the freezing cold and wait to be picked up and pray that I could hold it until I got home. Once home I'd repeat the same procedure five or six times every day.....poop, then silently moan from the pain it caused to go and from the pain of trying to clean myself. This was a long winter. Finally, after a few months, the radiation burns healed but I still have to use the bathroom often...it's one of the side effects. The other is a bit more personal...lets just say the pewter orbs could have worked more. After going though all of this, you can see why I never want to experience another Illinois Winter again!!!! It will just remind me of being sick.
While, I was healing, I began making phone calls to clubs in the SW Florida area and to my musician friend Jim Keifer. Through my phone calls and Jim's connections... plus his great reputation down in Florida, I was able to book gigs for myself. Jim even knew of someone who would rent to us!!!! Much love and thanks to Jim.
Marc and I were a little nervous as we set up for our first gig at the SANDBAR but before our first song was over, we were already getting tips. The TWISTED FORK was next and although we played the first set with our main PA speakers turned down, we had a wonderful night. it was kind of funny because there were several musicians in the audience but not one of them told us our mains were down. I asked the guys who were playing next to us on the big stage, why they didn't tell us our mains were down. They all looked like they played in MOTLEY CRUE and they said they thought it was quiet but sounded good!!!!! I jokingly said you‘re all probably DEAF playing that loud rock music!!! We all laughed.
Next gig was a a bar called, DEAN'S SOUTH OF THE BORDER. It was a cool joint located right on RT 41 so it was a LOUD PLACE with motorcycles and cars driving past this big TUBE that we played in. The most memorable thing bout this gig was, that during the second set, a couple women came out and began dancing in front of us. The darker haired women began becoming quite flirtatious with me and started dancing seductively and mouthing words. We were playing Lay Down Sally and she started reaching across the stage and mouthing the words, " I've been trying all night long just to talk to you!!!!". She was giving me some looks that I hadn't seen since the old band days. Hilarious!!! I asked my wife if she had noticed that!!! She had!!!!
Tom, our other guitar player came down with his wife and was supposed to play three gigs with us but unfortunately, Melanie was rushed to the hospital for colon complications. It was a nightmare for them and they had to remain in town for much longer that they had planned. Tom and Mel are back in Peoria and Mel is going back to work soon. she still has a way to go but we love them and pray for her continued health. Tom did get to eventually play three gigs with us as he was able to return for a week in March.
One of the places Tom played with us was a fund raiser at the NORTH PORT VFW for the return troops from the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan. We were proud to have been asked. Tom also played with us on our second gig at TT'S TIKI BAR. We loved playing TT's and it was there that JAY GOLDBERG saw us and invited us to play a party at his CONDO IN PUNTA GORTA. The bookings at TT's was good for my soul because of a phone call I received from the guy who booked the SANDBAR gigs. We had played our second of three gigs there and I received a phone call saying that the manager had told him that we didn't fit and would not be playing our third gig. WHAT???? I couldn't believe what I was hearing. We made over 300.00 in tips playing this club.... Someone must have liked us!!!!! We had people complimenting us on every break and even had some people come back just to see us. He made some lame comment that this wasn't the first time that the manager didn't like a band. He said, "Perhaps, he's banging a waitress who didn't like your music....something as simple as that!!!" I went berserk!! How unprofessional. I told him, "I've played professionally for over 45 years and
I would know if we sucked or not." I called Jim and reported on what had just happened and before you could say, "Don't let it get you down", he gave me the phone number of the manager of TT's. I called and booked two gigs there. We went over great and look forward to playing there again next year. As far of the singles and duos I witnessed at the Sandbar...most of them left a lot to be desired. I think it was political. I think someone or someone's friend wanted to play the club so they made room by sacking us. Bullshit really!!!!
But other than that incident, We ended up playing 21 gigs and made a-lot of new friends. Many will be looking for us next year as we hope to be four piece then. Other than playing music other highlights of the trip included, Sharen and I seeing the Ringling Museum, having breakfast coffee out on the lani, walks, drum circles and sunsets on the beach as bright as MY OLD ORANGE ROOM. The MOTE aquarium, many afternoons day drinking with Marc, seeing the BEATLES ROOFTOP CONCERT at an IMAX on JAN 30.... the actually day the Beatles played their last concert.... including a live link up with PETER JACKSON. The BIG CAT HABITAT, lots of walks through beautiful parks and alligators in the wild. Marc and I wrote a song together and we got to see Jim Keifer's band play live as well as Dave Chastain. Plus, many other things I'm probably forgetting. Oh yeah…. A carnival in February!!!!
We've done a lot and are reluctantly getting packed for our trip back home. See you again Florida!!!!
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