"Jack Digby"

Mike was the bartender (at The Grand Hotel in Jerome, AZ) and he reminded me of a friend of mine, Jack Digby.  As far as I knew, Jack didn't have a twin, but if he did this guy Mike woulda been him.

The place was pretty empty so I settled in and burned Mike's ear for a while, while he politely nodded and even offered back some one liners to my endless nonsensical babble I sometimes expel.  He looked a lot like Jack and carried himself with the same sort of calm assertiveness, but fortunately he didn't have that know-it-all attitude that usually rubs me the wrong way.

I do not recall ever being in Jack's presence when he did not tell me something he knew from first hand experience, no matter what the conversation was about.  I met Jack about seven or eight years ago, when he was a:  24 year old ex navy seal, accomplished blues musician, journeyman ironworker~ welder, etc., etc., etc., who had lived in just about every single State of this Union.

One time he responded to my voiced doubt with, "Don’t feel bad for not believing me… all that means is that you think I'm amazing, and that I'm unbelievable."  Don’t get me wrong, I love Jack… he would walk thru fire for me, and I would do the same for him.  He is impossible not to like.  I'm smiling, thinking about him, as I'm writing this.

I could tell that Mike was getting a little tired of my nonstop jibber-jabber, so when I asked him if he knew anything about the cute little devil of a hostess, he didn't hesitate a second before he walked over… brought her over to me… and introduced us.  This was shaping up to be one of the best photo ops of my trip so far.  I had already met several of the other employees:  Jesse- a waiter;  Brandon- another waiter;  Kevin- the manager;  Maryann- a waitress;  and Ann- another waitress.

 

Yes, it's a good thing I had walked into The Grand Hotel that afternoon.  Without me, their day would have been empty and devoid of meaning.  I just love it when I can bring joy, entertainment, and frivolity into people's lives.  It makes me feel whole and complete.  Or maybe it was that second glass of pushing my luck that had made me feel so entertaining.  Anyway, I left with a picture of Heather (the devilish hostess) and some of the staff to document the moment.  She, in her tight little red dress and horns, and me in my tie-dye tee-shirt and silver halo I had borrowed from a (dummy) angel the establishment was using as part of their Halloween decorations.  I had been wearing the halo the whole time I was in the bar, performing my act for the employees and any of the patrons who had the misfortune to wander by.

They all waved at me as I left.  I'm not sure if it was with sincere enjoyment of my performance, or with sincere gladness that my act was over.