And we all parted friends.

I went to pick up John’s tux today, and what I thought I heard the sales clerk say was, UPS isn’t coming today. And I gasped! “Oh no, we’ve got to get on a plane in the morning!” Then she says, “I meant to say it isn’t here YET. We can get it to you.” And I can see that she has her manager on the phone.  They must really get some hard to deal with folks in there. I said, “Well, I’m just running around Athens this afternoon so why don’t I give you my cell number and I’ll come back when you call.”  And as she’s finishing writing the number, she says, "I listened to the live stream of the Panic show last night and Mr. Keane was great! "

I asked for packing tips. And she tells me that I need to carry the tux in this specific garment bag because it guards against static electricity.  I tell them that I am concerned about the fact that it won’t meet the requirements of a carry on. She says that people do it all the time. “I’ve done it. If worse comes to worst, you stow it in the overhead bin.  Or you could pack it, and have the hotel steam it.” Well we aren’t staying in a hotel; we’re staying at a friend’s house in Santa Monica a block from the beach. So that won’t work.  She says, “Worst comes to worst you can iron it.” Of course I want to put my dress in the bag, as I am trying to carry on everything. But, I don’t think I can iron my dress.  Let’s hope it doesn’t’ come up.

And we all parted friends.

Then I come back to get the tux. At some point before that, Kathryn calls and says, “Mike needs cuff links, will you get them?”  I am certain I will forget so I try to wiggle out of a definite yes, and Kathryn says, “I’ll call Perno’s and have them leave them with John’s tux so you can’t forget.”  I go to get the tux, and they haven’t heard from Kathryn: clearly I get there before Kathryn thinks of calling.  I pause, obviously trying to figure out what to do next, and the clerk said, “Is he wearing a bow tie?” I said, “I think so.” She said, “He’ll need studs, too.” And she goes to get the set.  And, another sales clerk comes around and says, “I was at Déjà vu last week. They were really good!” I thank her and comment that they have a ridiculous amount of practice hours in those gigs because the music is so complicated.  She asks if John will be at the show tonight. I explain that we knew of the Thursday show a long time ago, but not the Friday show.  Of course it made sense for there to be a Friday show…. But he was already booked on Friday by the time we found out about it and the Grammy nomination.  So things are frenzied to get out of town.

And we all parted friends.