Left to Right: Corky, Bertram, Dave, DrDanny, Gary
Corky, DrDanny, Bertram, Dave, Gary
Corky Gordon, DrDanny Smith,Bertram Mourits,Gary Marker, Deb Marker, Dave Mellor
A little more than a week later, I'm back to my computer and would like to second a suggestion Gary Marker made and Scotty picked up on, relating to members of the RPC list in geographic proximity getting together to meet each other. As one of the participants in the Bay Area Gathering, I found it was an exceptional experience and well worth the 400 mile trip, even without the excuse of a convention to attend.
A few observations of mine, which I suspect were communal.
Although none of us had met before getting together, there was an immediate degree of intimacy right away. I attribute this to the common knowledge we all share as Cooderites, and a few months of reading each other's postings. There was no awkward period while the four of us tried to sort each other out (actually five, counting Debbie Marker, an unexpected delight. Or...six, if we include Dave Mellor, who was fairly taciturn and seemed somewhat two dimensional until we'd finished a few beers.)
The conversation was great without barely a mention of RPC. I think his name first came up when the waitress took a sandwich order and asked; white, wheat or rye? I think you'll find fellow RPCers much more interesting than rehashing the subject they've read about on the list. I do recall Gary retelling a hilarious story involving adolescent Ry and his (Gary's) father's guitar, which might be better told verbally than in written form.
By the way, Gary's pose as a creaky geriatric may work in cyberspace. He actually has the optimistic mindset of a twenty year old, a very satisfied looking wife who could pass as a twenty-year old's older sister (check DrDanny's pics), and two kids under ten. A racounteur par exellence, in addition.
Danny is an authority on rare guitars, computers and the scent of East Indian cooking. A dangerous twinkle in the eyes of his otherwise All-American face makes me suspect that twenty years ago, he struck terror into the hearts of fathers when he arrived at the door to escort their daughters to the Junior Prom.
Bertram Mourits is unbelievable. How can a 28 year old Dutchman know the meaning of "a deuce and a quarter"? Both he and Danny were coming up with licks on the dobro from the trunk of Danny's car that would bring me off the street if I heard them in a club.
I could go on and on...but the point is, RPC's elsewhere should try the same thing. I believe you'll find it to be just as wonderful an occasion as we did.
As an aside, the Hawaiian shirts were proposed as a recognition device in case we couldn't devine our fellow RPCers at the restaurant. I'm not sure where Gary's came from. Mine and Bertram were on loan from an old Berkeley pal who has spent the last 30 years plucking records at garage sales and picks up Hawaiian shirt bargains as a sideline. The first thing he handed me was the 1970 Mark Beno album with lots of fine Ry bottleneck on it that I've never been able to find (are you listening, Walter?).
Hoping to hear reports soon from the New England RPC Gathering, the Olde England RPC Gathering, the Ozzie RPC Gathering, et. al.
Corky
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