“You know, you go in that room
and turn up that Lord Zeppelin and when you come out, you're crazy, can't even talk to you!”
- – Doris Floyd 1978
It was 1986 when Greg Taylor decided life was limited in small town. After all, he had thoroughly blasted it with the great rock 'n roll back in the 70s, and there just wasn’t much more to do, at least there. He had the hair – check, mastered the guitar – check, saved some money….well ok, not saved any real money, but he had $350 and that would at least get him there. Jobs should be plentiful, right? So with a feeling of both exuberance and a tinge of sadness – he went down to finally announce to his grandmother, Doris, his intentions.
“You know Buba, I think I’m ready now,” said Greg.
“Oh are you sure?” she asked staring at his walnut-stained hands. He had been earning money by sanding and refinishing her furniture when she decided that painted furniture was so 1950s, and it was time to get real again in the 1980s with Walnut Stain #253.
“What?” asked Greg, looking at his fingers. “It’s like, all over me and a few shirts too.”
Doris smiled. She never intended to make this easy for him. Really, he had no business in California. She knew what went on there; she had spent some time examining that Robert Plant poster in his room, the one with the shirt open. She knew that lifestyle was no way to live.
“I have some oil that might take it off,” she said. “It’s made by Nivea.”
“I don’t want to smell funny,” said Greg thinking he sure didn’t want to spend his last few days in town smelling nice and fragrant like Buba.
“Now what will you do out there?” asked his grandmother for the umpteenth time.
Greg took a deep breath and smiled. “I’ll go out and get a job, I bet they have people who are building out there. It’ll be fine,” he said.
“But you don’t know anyone, not a soul,” she said.
“It’s ok, other people have done it, it works out,” said Greg.
“That music…it’s so….so loud,” said Doris.
Greg laughed. Buba was no Motley Crue fan, more like Elvis, early Elvis, throw in some Bobby Darin.
“It’s supposed to be,” he said.
Grandparents vs. Greg. First the hair: cut it…cut it…cut it.
His grandfather, cowboy hat and all,summed it up standing in his white shirt in the hot sun:
“When in Rome, do like the Romans!”
Ha Ha, who cared, it was only a small simile. How could he possibly explain to Buba that he hadn’t been the same since Eddie played the Cotton Bowl?
“Don’t worry Buba,” he smiled and touched her shoulder....
This is an excerpt from my Greg Taylor Chronicles. If you like rock music in the style of Aerosmith, Motley Crue, Led Zeppelin, you can find out more about James Craig Paylor at the links below. One fan/YouTube reviewer said, “The best guitarist I've seen outside Van Halen.” Those are certainly some big words, but I have to say, I agree. Original rock music at its finest...emphasis on original!
Find James Craig Paylor/Hell On Wheels at:
And welcome to the jungle, baby!!
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