Bill, my friend and former business partner, met up with us at the hibachi grille/sushi this past afternoon. We haven't gathered in a while. Just the three of us. Bill's wife is off working a project in Oklahoma. Our other friend Sue sometimes joins us, but she is still dealing with an amputation, and not up to wandering out. And the young man I mentor is a valued addition, but as a Millennial, it is near impossible to work him into a schedule.
But we three caught up just fine.
We sat there for three hours, and talked about just everything. But Bill had been in Las Vegas recently, and had a tale to tell. Bill has an upscale executive friend who got them front row center seats for a ZZ Top show in Vegas. Bill is a professional musician, and very talented with the guitar. Compared to me, the talent-less guitar hack. Bill once tried to say something nice about my playing. "Zo, I love the way you play, it is so...honest."
Bill is a big guy, maybe 6'-3", not thin, and has a beard down to his waist. Often he wears the beard in a braid, but at the ZZ Top show, he wore it free in their honor.
I had heard he had a story, so we sat down and I asked about it. He told me it was the cooles thing he ever had happen at a concert. Billl was watching Billy Gibbons play, and was interested to see how he played certain licks. Gibbons was noodling between songs and look up, spotting Bill, and froze. He says into the mic "YOU! COme here."
Now along with the front row seats, they had been instructed, no matter what, do NOT try to go on stage. We'll throw you oout. So poor Bill is torn. Stay off the stage, or obey the beckon from the stage. He decided, screw it, I get to meet ZZTop, if I get tossed, Oh well. SO he stepped up, Billy Gibbons turns him around to face the audience, and says "Now THAT is a beard."
MY beard comes down just past my nipples, but Bill's hits his navel, so kudos to him. SO Bill got called out, got to meet a great guitarist, and has a great story to tell.
Plus he sprang for lunch.