Rumors-Remembering Amy

July 10, 1982.  

I didn't date much in my life.  Not that I really wanted to.  I have been a failure when it came to love, even in high school, my first love was 500 miles away and already barefoot and pregnant before she turned 15 and Janice never panned out.  At least Penny took a chance and we did go out a couple times before I ended things.  And found out later on, you can't go back to the innocent days.  With that Penny was the most truthful one, she knew we were not going to work out.

Oh I had infatuations with some of them, when I worked at the gas station.  Nobody panned out.  I did write a song called Molly's Folly about a girl that came to the station but later on, she did have a boyfriend who eventually married her. 

So, I was at Show Biz Pizza, pissing away quarters on video games and suddenly, this petite black hair girl came up and bothered me for a bit, saying her boyfriend left her and took off and could I drive her home. So I did and this started a strange three week affair to which I got late night phone calls which my irate mother would lecture about calling late.  Amy and me did a couple trips up to Lindale and played video games.  None of my friends were impressed with her, nor my folks.

But it had to end and it did later underneath the full moon to which we managed to watch a softball game or two.  I think at that moment later around 11 30 and a rising moon, she revealed how much she had fallen in love with me.  I originally shrugged and asked if she wanted to make love and she said Could We?.

But this night was strange.  She mentioned that her boyfriend have given her an engagement ring to which I looked at her and ask why the hell am I here then.  She then proceeded to have a wanting to make out and in a split second told me she loved me.   And I was thinking...oh shit.  I didn't bring the rubbers.  The big red flag was waving at me, I didn't fell compelled to be a rebound relationship or a one night stand, tho she was hot.   I told her, I like you but don't feel the same about you.  She was disappointed but we held hands for about 10 minutes and then went home in separate directions    Oh, she called a couple times then after that moved on.   I did ask about her about a year later but was told she moved out.   I would run into her one more time, six years later, with the guy she was with all this time and two daughters.  We didn't acknowledged one another, she probably didn't know who I was under the glasses and hat but I'm sure I was wearing the same shirt that I did back in 82.  

Paraphernalia did a song called You Were With Me, and while it might have been dedicated to her at that time, it came from a song called Heart Of Stone with different lyrics.  I don't play it that much, I don't see the need.  But Amy was not on the scene when Heart Of Stone was recorded on July 2 of 1982.

I did write a couple songs that were about Amy, one was indirect, Summer Breeze, which the final verse was "Tried to call you, but it's nothing at all, leave a message don't you say that I called" but Looking For A Way Out was more direct and told the story of  about that fateful night in 82, that I didn't score, simply of the fact that she was engaged and I wasn't about to sample the dish, tho had she made the first mood, it might have been a different story.  I never played Looking For A Way Out live and not about to, it's off the First And Last Reunion and very wordy, but Geoff Redding did include a two note ominous tone that ended the record on a decent note.  Perhaps I'll revisit that song and album in another time.

39 years ago and I can't remember what I was looking for when I go into the next room but I can still see clearly that night at the Centipede game and having this girl hang around for no particular reason at all outside that her bubba boyfriend was showing off his 4 by 4 and she wanted a change.  And for almost three weeks, she realized that what she was looking for, she had all the time. 

(Monte Olsen: Photo Credit)

Songlist at Rumors

Turn The Page

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Summertime Blues

I Wanna Be Sedated

With

Billy Bourbon

Tommy Bruner

Jeffrey Taylor 

Tim Canfield

R. Smith

Terry McDowell

And Phil Bo (in photo) 

Tammie Unash's birthday bash had plenty of drummers, and Terry did a decent job pairing people up. Brenda and Greg Mein were there and their songs were done by Sir Bob Miller.  DJ Hovenstot, Herman Sarduy, Rick Wengl and Tim Kauffman were the others holding down the beat.  The guys wanted a more heavier beat to Turn The Page, to which I complied and did so.   The Ramones song was Tommy's suggestion.   Would have loved to help Greg and Brenda out more but that was not my call and Bob and DJ were already there.   I was there for the potluck and sandwiches.