Smiling Islands

Yesterday after work, I walked a few blocks to Fat Fish Blue to see a friend of mine play guitar.

Colin John is his stage name. It is first name and possibly his middle name, but he does have a last name. While the URL is for the Colin John Band, there was no band - just Colin.

Colin was one of my first friends from high school. I was (and am) a complete dork. Colin seemed cool. Too cool to talk to me, but he always did. He sat next to me in English freshman year and in front of me in band for four years - he on sax, me on trumpet. He is also potentially the only person from high school that I'd go out of my way to see.

But he clearly played guitar and bass. I had seen him play bass in a band while we were in high school, but as friends we lost touch after freshman year of college. Colin stayed with me for a weekend at Ohio State, but after that - I had no clue what happened.

I blogged about him (barely) a few years ago and his wife found the entry by Goooogling him. We've kind of been in touch since.

Colin now lives in Hawai'i, but tours and thanks to FB, I knew of some local dates in NE Ohio. Since I travel a lot, this was the time I could see him.

He recognized me right away and came up to see me. I assume I've changed in the last two plus decades. I have less hair. I'm heavier.

We had a good conversation and did some catching up, but then he had to play. I had a few beers and then had to get home. But Colin played a nice set - all instrumental, mostly blues and he was great.

So, that was a little unexpected, but nice. There. That's all I got.


Song by: Robbie Patton